Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey said Tuesday morning that the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas have submitted formal requests for invitations to become members of the league in 2025.
"While the SEC has not proactively sought new members, we will pursue significant change when there is a clear consensus among our members that such actions will further enrich the experiences of our student-athletes and lead to greater academic and athletic achievement across our campuses," Sankey said through a released statement. "The presidents and chancellors of the SEC, in their capacity as the conference's chief executive officers, will consider these requests in the near future. Per the Bylaws of the SEC, a vote of at least three-fourths of the SEC's 14 members is required to extend an invitation for membership."
Tuesday marked the first time Sankey had addressed Oklahoma and Texas potentially joining the league - other than "no comment," or "we are focused on the 2021 season" - since the Houston Chronicle last Wednesday reported the news during the SEC Media Days event in Hoover, Alabama.
A USA Today analysis released late Monday night revealed that a 16-team SEC could generate $1.3 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year, which would place the league on equal financial footing with the NCAA's projected revenue at that time.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.