Gambling
Greg Sankey: SEC will discuss availability reports during spring meetings
Though perhaps not immediately, a pro sports staple could be coming to the SEC. Speaking before the league’s spring meetings in Miramar Beach, Fla. on Monday, league commissioner Greg Sankey said conference stakeholders will discuss availability reports throughout the week.
Sankey said not to expect a decision one way or the other. However, the discussions will likely occur.
“That’s obviously different than the culture that’s existed around much of college athletics over time,” Sankey said. “…I know that we don’t just rush into something. It’s not injury reporting. It’s very different circumstances given some of the privacy issues that we have.”
Sankey acknowledged the elephant in the room. The call for some sort of injury reporting comes most loudly from gamblers, who would like as much information as possible before putting their money down.
According to Sankey, discussions won’t just include football. Availability reporting will be talked about for men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball as well.
“I think all of those catch our attention,” Sankey said of the gambling dollars. “We have to be thoughtful of how information is managed. I’s also a reality that the lives of young people in colleges versus the lives of professional athletes are very different. A lot more exposure to people.”
SEC spring meetings are set to begin Tuesday morning.