SEC Promotes Sankey To Executive Associate Commissioner; The League Now Has Two

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The SEC has announced today that Greg Sankey has been promoted to Executive Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of the league.  He had been an Associate Commissioner — in charge of compliance — since 2002.

“Over the past decade Greg has played an important role as a member of the SEC’s leadership team and has been a key contributor to our success,” Mike Slive said in a press release.  “He is extremely talented in all facets of athletics administration and will make even greater contributions to the conference in his expanded role as our chief operating officer.”

The release also says Sankey: “has been responsible for compliance, governance and enforcement as well as oversight of the conference championships personnel.  In his new role, he will be responsible for he day-to-day operations of the SEC office.”

That’s all well and good, but where’s Mark Womack?  Womack has long been viewed by many as a potential replacement for Slive.  His old title?  Executive Associate Commissioner. 

Last month, when interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas announced he would step down this summer, we suggested that his league call up Womack and try to interview him for the spot.  Unless the SEC now has two Executive Associate Commissioners and two COOs, Sankey just has just replaced Womack or moved above him — apparently — on the SEC’s totem pole.

UPDATE — Indeed, the SEC now has two Executive Associate Commissioners.  SEC PR king Charles Bloom immediately replied to our question — many thanks, Charles — and said that Mark remains the league’s other Executive Associate Commissioner and serves as Chief Financial Officer.

So as for the comments in the Twittersphere claiming Sankey will eventually succeed Slive, it still appears that Womack is neck-and-neck with the newly promoted Sankey in terms of the SEC’s heirarchy.  One is COO and the other is CFO.

And the Big 12 would still be wise to call Womack for an interview.

Sankey previously held the job of Southland Conference commissioner from 1996 through 2002.