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BIRMINGHAM — SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey shed some light on the decision to move the SEC Softball Tournament to a neutral site for the first time in 23 years.
In April, the SEC announced a four-year deal for the tournament to be held at Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas in Madison, Alabama, starting in 2027.
Sankey defended keeping the SEC Softball Tournament on campus sites due to superior facilities held within the conference at the 2023 APSE South regional conference. Three years later at the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame for the same conference, Sankey started off by clarifying he didn't have a vote in the matter.
"The folks in the Huntsville area pursued us aggressively," Sankey said Monday, May 11. "They hosted a multiple team event a little over a year ago to show what could be done in a baseball stadium for high level competition. ... It's pretty central for our teams to access."
It's a change from the 2023 APSE South regional meeting, where Sankey named Oklahoma City as a neutral-site contender for the tournament.
"The Oklahoma City facility is a much, much larger place (than campus sites)," he said at the 2023 APSE South regional conference. "... I would never say no, but is that possibility there? There aren't just a lot of facilities, outside that one, that rise to the level of what's on our campuses."
So, why not Oklahoma City?
Sankey said that SEC teams have the confidence they will get to Oklahoma City eventually for the Women's College World Series.
"Our teams know they're going to be in Oklahoma City, or have confidence they're going to be in Oklahoma City, and the Big 12 (Softball Tournament) has a contract there," Sankey said Monday.
The Big 12 Tournament has typically signed shorter-term deals that rolled over to continue playing at Oklahoma City.
Devon Park has hosted the Women's College World Series since 1990, also hosting the Big 12 Tournament from 1996 to 2010 and has done so since the event was revived in 2017. Devon Park will host Olympic softball in 2028, which may have complicated any move to bring in the SEC event.
The SEC Tournament began in 1999 when softball became a conference-sponsored sport. It has not. bene held at a neutral site since it was played in Plant City, Florida in 2003.
Since then, the SEC Tournament has been held at campus sites on a rotating basis. The 2027 tournament will be held May 11-15.
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Greg Sankey explains SEC Softball Tournament move to Madison, Alabama
Continue reading...
In April, the SEC announced a four-year deal for the tournament to be held at Toyota Field, home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas in Madison, Alabama, starting in 2027.
Sankey defended keeping the SEC Softball Tournament on campus sites due to superior facilities held within the conference at the 2023 APSE South regional conference. Three years later at the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame for the same conference, Sankey started off by clarifying he didn't have a vote in the matter.
"The folks in the Huntsville area pursued us aggressively," Sankey said Monday, May 11. "They hosted a multiple team event a little over a year ago to show what could be done in a baseball stadium for high level competition. ... It's pretty central for our teams to access."
It's a change from the 2023 APSE South regional meeting, where Sankey named Oklahoma City as a neutral-site contender for the tournament.
"The Oklahoma City facility is a much, much larger place (than campus sites)," he said at the 2023 APSE South regional conference. "... I would never say no, but is that possibility there? There aren't just a lot of facilities, outside that one, that rise to the level of what's on our campuses."
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So, why not Oklahoma City?
Sankey said that SEC teams have the confidence they will get to Oklahoma City eventually for the Women's College World Series.
"Our teams know they're going to be in Oklahoma City, or have confidence they're going to be in Oklahoma City, and the Big 12 (Softball Tournament) has a contract there," Sankey said Monday.
The Big 12 Tournament has typically signed shorter-term deals that rolled over to continue playing at Oklahoma City.
You must be registered for see images attach
Devon Park has hosted the Women's College World Series since 1990, also hosting the Big 12 Tournament from 1996 to 2010 and has done so since the event was revived in 2017. Devon Park will host Olympic softball in 2028, which may have complicated any move to bring in the SEC event.
The SEC Tournament began in 1999 when softball became a conference-sponsored sport. It has not. bene held at a neutral site since it was played in Plant City, Florida in 2003.
Since then, the SEC Tournament has been held at campus sites on a rotating basis. The 2027 tournament will be held May 11-15.
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Greg Sankey explains SEC Softball Tournament move to Madison, Alabama
Continue reading...
