The world of college athletics’ power brokers is opaque and ever-shifting. Rivalries can spring up and dissipate overnight—for instance, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren reportedly did not contact Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff before poaching USC and UCLA from the conference, but the two later “hugged it out“ at the Rose Bowl meeting.
With Warren preparing to become the next president of the Bears, however, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey appeared to take a parting shot at his Midwestern rival at the celebration for Georgia’s second straight football national championship.
“We need leaders today in college football and college sports,” Sankey said. “Not leaders who make a stop to build a resume and go on to something else—those who understand the problems ahead are real and demand our attention.”
Warren spent three years as commissioner of the Big Ten. For comparison’s sake, his predecessor Jim Delany served as conference commissioner for 31 years, and Sankey has worked eight years in his current role.
