SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says the conference’s media rights deal with Disney is working. In an interview with Puck’s John Ourand, he credited Disney’s wide mix of platforms.
What We Know: The SEC signed a 10-year agreement with The Walt Disney Company that began in 2024-25. Under the deal, ABC and ESPN hold exclusive rights to the conference’s premier football and basketball events through 2033-34. Additionally, the SEC Network remains part of Disney’s portfolio. Meanwhile, Sankey said fans no longer complain about games streaming on Disney’s digital platforms. Therefore instead of considering more networks to partner with, it’s more about platforms for distribution. This season, while overall college football viewership is down by double digits, seven of the top ten most-viewed games include SEC teams.
What They Said: (All quotes via Puck Media):
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says the SEC is very happy with their media rights with Disney/ESPN: “We’re the only college league that, by mid-July, our fans know within three hours all of their kickoff times. So that’s one of the advantages. And with 135 million households able to watch broadcast TV, I’d say it’s working really well. So far, the hypothesis that we need different networks doesn’t seem to prove itself, at least as it relates to us.”
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on how SEC fans have adapted to the conference media rights with ESPN/Disney: “Five years ago, when we were doing this deal, it was a different digital world. When we put an Arkansas baseball game, for example, on a digital platform, the phones lit up: You idiots! Why isn’t it on cable?! That’s changed. We see no complaints, even about the limited football we have on Disney’s digital platform.”
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says the importance is platforms over networks: “Disney had this great architecture digitally. They have cable and satellite and the SEC Network, and then you have ABC with broadcast. And rather than talking about networks, our perspective is that you need those platforms.”
What Remains Unclear: Furthermore, the SEC has not signaled its approach to the next rights negotiation. Beyond that, changing viewing habits could reshape the partnership well before 2034.
What It Means: Ultimately, Sankey’s comments signal that the SEC sees its model with Disney as a strength, not a risk. Whether or not the immediate future of the rights comes into play with any of the conference’s other media partners remains in question. If platform is more vital than network according to Sankey, his words could fuel networks to conceptualize opportunities that Disney already possesses.
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