Florida State’s chances of joining the SEC seem to be more of a longshot than a reality.
In the last 48 hours during SEC’s Media Day, Commissioner Greg Sankey has been vocal about Florida State whenever he is asked about FSU and expanding more teams.
Sankey was on The Next Round show and was asked about a possible chance of FSU joining the conference when it is free from the ACC.
“Well, we really had this great session where I talked about, really focused on our 16,” Sankey said on the podcast.
“And our presidents have said very clearly: We’re not going to be to be entangled in legal issues around any consideration of expansion.
“So, it’s not a conversation. And we’re not going to take our pie and slice it into more pieces.
“They have to grow the pie. And I have to be aware, so the question that led into this analysis is, ‘Are you paying attention?’ So, I have to pay attention.
“But I think we have — this group of 16 is an incredibly strong, well-positioned group of 16 universities and athletic programs in contiguous states and there’s not this need.”
Sankey continued to make his stance on focusing on the 16 teams, including the recently added Texas and Oklahoma, which will make their SEC debut this coming season.
“We’ve not been reacting,” he said. “We’ve not been in a position of trying to figure something out in short order. We were able to make a decision, and there were other calls before Oklahoma and Texas reached out.
“But the decision that was right, that fits, can continue to elevate all 16 now from where we’ve been. And we’ve been in a pretty great spot.”
FSU is suing the ACC for media rights and wants to opt out without paying a substantial exit fee. Earlier this week, Brett McMurphy of Action Network reported that the SEC and the Big 10 are unlikely to add FSU to their league.
The Big 12 conference has been mentioned in multiple reports as a third option for the Seminoles. FSU’s tenure in the ACC doesn’t expire until 2036.
The ACC kickoff will begin on Monday at the Hilton in Charlotte, North Carolina. Florida State and ACC commissioner Jim Phillips will speak that day.
Florida State football schedule 2024
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Aug. 24 vs. Georgia Tech *Dublin, Ireland at 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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Sept. 2 vs. Boston College at 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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Sept. 14 vs. Memphis
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Sept. 21 vs. California
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Sept. 28 at SMU
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Oct. 5 vs. Clemson
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Oct. 18 at Duke
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Oct. 26 at (U) Miami
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Nov. 2 vs. North Carolina
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Nov. 9 at Notre Dame
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Nov. 23 vs. Charleston Southern
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Nov. 30: Florida
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Dec. 7: ACC Championship
BOLD = ACC
* = Neutral Site
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: SEC has no interest in adding FSU, commissioner says
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