The SEC is not going worldwide, not less than not within the instant future. Commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned the league is not going to play abroad video games anytime quickly, regardless of some preliminary discussions in regards to the thought.
Chatting with reporters on the SEC’s spring conferences, Sankey admitted there have been “conversations” about enjoying soccer video games abroad in some capability. Nevertheless, taking video games off SEC campuses and shifting them the world over simply would not be possible.
“The economics of our stadiums are simply very completely different from our colleague conferences which have been part of that,” Sankey mentioned. “You understand, the displacement of a house sport in our communities and stadiums, it is perhaps 85 to 100,000-plus, and relocating that, the logistical prices and timing, that is a problem. However the lack of that residence gate, that is actually a problem.
“We have had some conversations round possibly non-conference video games, that is perhaps an away sport, nevertheless it’s by no means labored. I feel I’ve mentioned this earlier than, the power of this convention is in our communities, in our states, within the area, and we amplify that on a nationwide and even worldwide stage. I do not assume that requires us enjoying internationally.”
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One in every of faculty soccer’s largest promoting factors is its residence atmospheres, and that is particularly the case within the SEC. Followers are already pissed off, and justifiably so, when a neutral-site matchup eliminates a house sport or robs them of the chance to go to a distinct stadium on the highway. Now think about the response if 100,000 Tennessee followers discovered their season-opener in opposition to Syracuse would performed be 1000’s of miles away in a spot like Wembley Stadium in London. It would not go over nicely.
Different conferences have dipped their toe in worldwide waters. The ACC, Huge Ten and Notre Dame have all performed video games in Eire on a semi-regular foundation during the last 11 years. Sankey mentioned he had a gathering with the Lord Mayor of Dublin about enjoying video games in Aviva Stadium, however that by no means got here to fruition.
“It simply hasn’t fairly labored for us,” Sankey mentioned. “We have now many necessary points in entrance of us that, if that materialized, I feel individuals would take benefit. It is not a focus due to how nice our sport experiences are on campus.”
That the these preliminary discussions by no means amounted to a lot might be for the the perfect from the followers’ perspective. The logistical and monetary challenges apart, enjoying SEC video games abroad is a foul thought just because it might make the fan expertise markedly worse.
Brandon Marcello contributed to this story from Miramar Seashore, Fla.