From an SEC Q&A on The Athletic, answered by Seth Emerson:
What is Vanderbilt’s future in the SEC? Do we have a future in this conference, or do you think we will be relegated to a lower conference soon? — Wayne R.
Define soon. In five years, will Vanderbilt still be in the SEC? Absolutely, it will. What about in a decade or 20 years? That depends on where the sport goes as a whole.
In the Super League scenario, where the biggest programs split off to form their own league, Vanderbilt wouldn’t be the only SEC school left out. The Mississippi schools, South Carolina and maybe a few others likely would be left in the cold. That would be a shame and hopefully doesn’t happen. There’s a romance in “lesser” powers getting their annual shot at the big boys. Plus, if things turn right, those “lesser” programs could go on a roll; Missouri did so last year and could keep it going. Ole Miss had a good year and is going for it. South Carolina could do it. Even Vanderbilt …
Well, it’s tough. Clark Lea talked a big game last year at SEC media days, saying he wanted to turn Vanderbilt into one of the best programs in the country. But between the academics and everything else, it’s an uphill slog to even get to 6-6. Still, Vanderbilt is strong in other sports, especially baseball, and academics matter to SEC presidents, so it’s not like they’re just going to kick the school out of the conference.
Where things get dicey is with the football revenue. Now that everyone has stopped pretending it isn’t about football money, there could come a time when the bigger schools look at Vanderbilt and maybe the smaller schools and say: Why do they get the same amount as us? Right now they don’t because it’s so much money that they don’t care. But if we get to a revenue-sharing model with players, which seems likely, people will get antsy. It could make Vanderbilt antsy.
Nearly a century ago, Sewanee got tired of losing in the SEC and withdrew on its own. There’s a small chance Vanderbilt goes that route. But the more likely scenario would be Vanderbilt hanging on as long as it can, then seeing how the football landscape changes and seeing where it best fits. What the Commodores have going for them is that in basically everything except football success, they are a desired property. The SEC likes having Vanderbilt, and Vanderbilt likes being in the SEC. But football success and football brand name are so important right now — does it end up trumping everything else?
What is Vanderbilt’s future in the SEC? Do we have a future in this conference, or do you think we will be relegated to a lower conference soon? — Wayne R.
Define soon. In five years, will Vanderbilt still be in the SEC? Absolutely, it will. What about in a decade or 20 years? That depends on where the sport goes as a whole.
In the Super League scenario, where the biggest programs split off to form their own league, Vanderbilt wouldn’t be the only SEC school left out. The Mississippi schools, South Carolina and maybe a few others likely would be left in the cold. That would be a shame and hopefully doesn’t happen. There’s a romance in “lesser” powers getting their annual shot at the big boys. Plus, if things turn right, those “lesser” programs could go on a roll; Missouri did so last year and could keep it going. Ole Miss had a good year and is going for it. South Carolina could do it. Even Vanderbilt …
Well, it’s tough. Clark Lea talked a big game last year at SEC media days, saying he wanted to turn Vanderbilt into one of the best programs in the country. But between the academics and everything else, it’s an uphill slog to even get to 6-6. Still, Vanderbilt is strong in other sports, especially baseball, and academics matter to SEC presidents, so it’s not like they’re just going to kick the school out of the conference.
Where things get dicey is with the football revenue. Now that everyone has stopped pretending it isn’t about football money, there could come a time when the bigger schools look at Vanderbilt and maybe the smaller schools and say: Why do they get the same amount as us? Right now they don’t because it’s so much money that they don’t care. But if we get to a revenue-sharing model with players, which seems likely, people will get antsy. It could make Vanderbilt antsy.
Nearly a century ago, Sewanee got tired of losing in the SEC and withdrew on its own. There’s a small chance Vanderbilt goes that route. But the more likely scenario would be Vanderbilt hanging on as long as it can, then seeing how the football landscape changes and seeing where it best fits. What the Commodores have going for them is that in basically everything except football success, they are a desired property. The SEC likes having Vanderbilt, and Vanderbilt likes being in the SEC. But football success and football brand name are so important right now — does it end up trumping everything else?
