The SEC Network Announcment’s Hidden Message

May 2nd 2013 the world of colligate sports changed. As SEC Commissioner Mike Slive took the stage in Atlanta joined by ESPN executive’s, he announced the new SEC Network in a joint press conference, but he also made another announcement as well.

As he proclaimed "goodbye project X, and hello SEC Network" to the crowd on hand, he was really announcing to the world, that on this day his conference was becoming more powerful than the NCAA, and he as the man in charge was becoming the most powerful man in collegiate sports.

While its doubtful the financial details of the deal will ever be released, there is no question that the bank vaults of the 14 member schools, and the conference as a whole are about to fill to the brim. While the additional revenues will allow salaries for the best coaches there is an underlying benefit of the money.To quote Scarface "First you get the money, then you get the power." Mike Slive got the money and now he is getting even more power.

Slive has already been vocal about his frustrations with the NCAA for not providing a full scholarship for student athletes. Now, as Slive reproaches the subject you can imagine his whisper will be volumes louder than any scream Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany could make.

Why?

Because right now the financial security and media partnerships in place, the SEC commissioner Mike Slive could realistically succeed from the NCAA and not miss a beat. Think about it, what does the NCAA provide that SEC could not provide in itself? Nothing.

That may sound arrogant because the Big 10 and Pac 12 have networks already and its probably just a matter of time before other conferences add one as well. However, there is one major difference.

"This is not a regional network, this a national network" ESPN President John Skipper said today. "There are a lot of SEC fans in California, Michigan, Connecticut and Nebraska and we expect to be in those places, widely distributed."

That is right. The conference has come into the big time.

During SEC Media days Mike Slive made mention of how the conference was atop the proverbial mountain in collegiate athletics and he and his staff saw it as a great responsibility to keep themselves there as others inched toward the summit.

Now it seems like Slive moved the SEC to the top of Everest while the rest of NCAA is sitting in the foothills.

The SEC Network Announcment's Hidden Message