To believe that somehow the SEC could be overshadowed for the better portion of a week is tough, but given this certain news story from yesterday, it’s entirely possible.
With that said, the SEC’s league meetings are scheduled to begin today in Destin, Florida, and as we’ve noted previously, oversigning legislation prepared by commissioner Mike Slive will be one of the topics on hand for discussion.
Details of the legislations, voted upon later in the week, include limiting the size of a football signing class in each academic year to 25 (down from the current level of 28), spanning that total from December to August and keeping early enrollees from signing an SEC financial aid agreement until they are enrolled and attend class at the school.
And, like their Big Ten counterparts, the SEC will also discuss whether or not to extend payment to student-athletes beyond what their athletic scholarship pays out.
“I have long thought that we should revisit the current limitations on athletic scholarships by expanding to the full cost of attendance,” Slive noted previously. “This is a student-welfare issue that deserves full consideration at both the conference and national level. I look forward to that discussion.
“I think we’re to a point now in intercollegiate athletics where we have been very fortunate to have developed significant revenue streams. A lot of our student-athletes have significant needs, and it’s one of those issues whose time has come.”
It’s doubtful the SEC will make a hasty decision on the matter, but moving the discussion forward is likely. And with new record revenue reportedly to be doled out to conference members on Friday, it would certainly put some tangible numbers of profit vs. cost next to the idea (insert Cam Newton joke here).
Not applicable to football, the league is also set to discuss the possible elimination of divisions within the conference. Under the new format, conference members would be ranked 1-12 instead of 1-6 per division.
(Special thanks: Birmingham News)
