SEC commissioner warns league may set rules if Congress fails

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey warned on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, that the league will set its own internal rules if Congress fails to establish national standards for college sports. Audacy, the Big Rapids Pioneer, and Yahoo Sports all reported that Sankey stated the SEC is willing to adopt conference-specific regulations and has already started those internal discussions. [1][2][3][6][7]

According to Yahoo Sports, federal legislative efforts include the Protect College Sports Act, which passed in the Senate to establish national standards. However, federal action remains incomplete, prompting the SEC to explore individual conference policies on name, image, and likeness rules as well as transfer portal guidelines. [3]

Yahoo Sports reported that Sankey also addressed other ongoing league matters during his remarks. He noted that he would prefer not to be in court regarding the conference's latest legal filing in its lawsuit against LSU. Addressing officiating questions following a football game between Georgia and Alabama, Sankey described football as a dynamic game. [4][5]

Sankey has served as the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference since 2015. He previously worked for the SEC for 13 years under former commissioner Mike Slive and served as commissioner of the Southland Conference prior to joining the SEC. [8]