Peter Burns explains why the SEC is waiting to decide on an 8- or 9-game league schedule
By Keith Farner
Published:
Peter Burns believes the SEC is playing out its decision on an 8- or 9-game schedule much like it has other major decisions in recent years.
The SEC Network host was a guest on “3 Man Front” on WJOX out of Birmingham, Alabama on Friday, and shared his thoughts on the schedule timeline. Burns said he figures the league powers lean more toward a 9-game SEC schedule because it keeps more revenue within the conference, and maximizes the television contract.
“I still don’t know why there is any kind of onus to hurry up and do it,” Burns said. “Until you know the College Football Playoff criteria, or what that format’s going to look like, why on Earth would you box yourself in a corner. That’s what was so ridiculous about how the Big Ten handled all the COVID stuff, it’s because they kept boxing themselves in a corner. The reason why (Greg) Sankey showed himself as the best conference (commissioner) in all of college athletics right now is they wait and wait and wait, and try to gather as much information, and they don’t have to be the first ones to make a decision.”
It’s good to have discussions now to understand where pressure points are, but the spring before Texas and Oklahoma join the league is when the rubber will hit the road, Burns said. While the stated plan is 2025 for those additions, Burns said his gut believes that they will join in 2024.
The @SECNetwork‘s @PeterBurnsESPN stopped by @3ManFront to discuss which way the SEC is leaning when it comes to the conference’s new scheduling model.
Listen to the whole discussion w/ Peter here: https://t.co/59XFdWE0Qw pic.twitter.com/lKypdlrgGD
— WJOX 94.5 FM (@WJOX945) June 10, 2022
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
