Podcast Summary: The Dan Patrick Show – Hour 3: Greg Sankey, Elly De La Cruz Is a Highlight

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Dan Patrick Show
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network
• Description: Dan Patrick hosts a daily radio show featuring A-list guests from sports and entertainment, offering insights into pop culture and sports with a dose of humor.
• Episode: Hour 3 – Greg Sankey, Elly De La Cruz Is a Highlight
• Release Date: June 2, 2025

Introduction to Greg Sankey’s Appearance

[02:36] Dan Patrick: "You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio. Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner, kind enough to join us."

Greg Sankey, the Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), joins Dan Patrick to discuss recent developments in college sports, focusing on football schedules, the College Football Playoff (CFP), and the evolving landscape of athlete compensation.

SEC Meetings and Discussions

[02:52] Greg Sankey: "Spent a lot of time in overly air-conditioned meeting rooms in Destin, Florida with athletics directors..."

Sankey outlines his recent engagements with SEC athletics directors and coaches, covering topics such as football scheduling, the CFP, potential settlements for lawsuits introducing revenue-sharing models, and the locations for softball and gymnastics championships.

[03:30] Dan Patrick: "Let’s get some of these ancillary things out of the way like basketball and then we'll get to football."

College Football Playoff Expansion

Discussion on Expanding the Playoff System

[03:50] Greg Sankey: "I introduced the issue to our men's basketball coaches... this conversation maybe lasted five minutes."

While primarily discussing basketball, Sankey segues into football playoff expansion, highlighting the ongoing evaluation of increasing playoff team numbers.

[06:05] Dan Patrick: "When are decisions made or voted on for expansion for the college football playoffs?"

[06:12] Greg Sankey: "The outer boundary is November 30th, December 1st of this year for the 26 playoff."

Sankey emphasizes that decisions regarding playoff expansion are imminent, with the current focus on a 12-team model serving as a foundation for future evaluations potentially considering 14 or 16 teams.

Preference for a Merit-Based System

[07:05] Dan Patrick: "What model do you like?"

[07:09] Greg Sankey: "I've been one who said over time I'd give no allocation... 12 best teams."

Sankey advocates for a merit-based selection system without automatic qualifiers, relying on the selection committee to choose the top 12 teams based solely on performance metrics.

[07:28] Dan Patrick: "But who decides on the top 12 teams?"

[07:32] Greg Sankey: "Selection committee... how our team selected as everyone relocated over the last four or five years."

He critiques the current selection process, suggesting it may be outdated and not fully reflective of recent changes in team performances and dynamics.

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Rights for Athletes

[10:14] Dan Patrick: "Help me understand... of the salaries and NIL and any restrictions..."

Dan Patrick brings up the controversial case of Cooper Flag allegedly making substantial earnings during his college career, questioning how the SEC is addressing NIL rights.

[10:38] Greg Sankey: "Without commenting on the Cooper flag story... the settlement... overseeing third-party NIL."

Sankey discusses ongoing settlements and lawsuits that could reshape athlete compensation, emphasizing the need for standardized oversight to manage NIL deals effectively.

National vs. State Regulations

[11:00] Greg Sankey: "Fifty different state laws governing is highly problematic... return of national standards..."

He expresses concerns over the fragmentation caused by varying state laws on NIL, advocating for national standards to ensure consistency across collegiate sports.

Scheduling Challenges and Marquee Matchups

Impact of Playoff Selection on Scheduling

[13:57] Greg Sankey: "College Football Playoff selection process is threatening the regular season... selection guides people's thinking."

Sankey highlights how the playoff selection criteria influence teams' scheduling decisions, often prioritizing games that favor playoff eligibility over traditional rivalries.

[15:00] Dan Patrick: "Can you come up with scheduling that we don't lose... Texas vs. Oklahoma..."

Patrick suggests implementing a scheduling overseer to preserve marquee matchups, ensuring that traditional rivalries continue to thrive irrespective of playoff implications.

[15:14] Greg Sankey: "A coordinated conversation to try to get scheduling right... postseason selection guides thinking."

Sankey agrees on the necessity of coordinated efforts among conferences to balance scheduling integrity with postseason aspirations.

Economic and Lifelong Impacts on Student Athletes

[16:08] Dan Patrick: "One thing that keeps you up at night..."

[16:17] Greg Sankey: "Concerns about the lifelong impact... financial literacy programs."

Sankey articulates his worries about how current compensation models and transfer policies affect student-athletes' long-term well-being. He emphasizes the importance of financial education and support systems to prepare athletes for life beyond sports.

[17:52] Dan Patrick: "Can you have some kind of curriculum that helps them with investing, balancing a checkbook..."

Patrick proposes integrating practical financial education into the college experience, especially for athletes projecting professional careers.

[18:43] Greg Sankey: "Athletics departments provide pretty deep financial literacy programs... responsibility to understand."

Sankey concurs, noting that while educational opportunities exist, the onus is on the athletes to engage with and utilize these resources effectively.

Collaboration with Other Conference Commissioners

[21:10] Greg Sankey: "Disagreements... responsibilities to work together."

Sankey shares anecdotes about working with other commissioners, acknowledging disagreements but emphasizing the importance of collaboration to advance collegiate athletics.

[21:44] Dan Patrick: "Play nice. Thanks for joining us."

Closing Thoughts and Future Directions

Greg Sankey concludes the discussion by reiterating the SEC’s commitment to addressing the evolving landscape of college sports, balancing competitive integrity, athlete welfare, and commercial interests.

Notable Quotes

• Greg Sankey [07:09]: "I think we should be exploring tournament expansion. Whether or not it happens is actually another point of evaluation."

• Greg Sankey [10:38]: "We have to ensure that third-party name, image, and likeness deals are overseen properly to maintain fair compensation."

• Greg Sankey [16:17]: "The combination of economic relationships, transfer decisions, and lifelong impacts are at the top of what keeps me up at night."

• Greg Sankey [21:10]: "Disagreements... make us better. We have a responsibility to work together."

Conclusion

In this episode, Dan Patrick engages Greg Sankey in a comprehensive discussion about the future of college football playoffs, athlete compensation through NIL rights, scheduling challenges, and the broader implications for student-athletes' long-term well-being. Sankey provides insightful perspectives on maintaining competitive integrity while adapting to the changing dynamics of collegiate sports.

Listeners gain a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in expanding the playoff system, the necessity for standardized NIL regulations, and the importance of supporting student-athletes beyond their athletic careers.