Former SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer Passes Away at 96
Roy Kramer, the former SEC commissioner credited with shaping college football’s playoff system, has died at the age of 96, as announced by the conference.
Kramer held the position of SEC commissioner from 1990 until 2002. During his time, he significantly increased the conference’s wealth, largely through strategic television deals. Notably, he added Arkansas and South Carolina to the conference in 1991, which foreshadowed the large-scale expansions currently affecting college athletics.
He also introduced the SEC title game, a move that further boosted media revenues. In his last year, the SEC distributed $95.7 million among its 12 member schools—a staggering rise from the $16.3 million in 1990. For the fiscal year 2023-24, the total distribution has reached $808.4 million, showcasing the explosive growth in college sports that Kramer anticipated back in the 90s.
Kramer was a strong advocate for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) system, which shifted the way college football champions were decided, moving away from relying solely on media and coaches’ votes. This BCS format lasted from 1998 until 2013, when the College Football Playoff was introduced. Initially, the playoffs featured four teams but expanded to 12 last season.
Interestingly, Kramer suggested that the backlash over BCS selections wasn’t a failure of the system but instead, a sign of the growing attention that college football was receiving.
When Kramer announced his retirement in 2002, he humorously remarked that the BCS was “responsible for everything from El Niño to terrorist attacks.”
Current SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey reflected on Kramer’s legacy, stating, “Roy Kramer will be remembered for his determination through difficult times, his drive to innovate in an industry driven by tradition, and his unwavering belief in the value of student-athletes and education.”
Kramer was born on October 30, 1929, in Maryville, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Maryville University, playing as a football lineman and wrestler. Later, he obtained a master’s degree from the University of Michigan and served in the Army during the Korean War. He passed away in Bonore, Tennessee.
Before stepping into the SEC role, he coached football at five high schools in Michigan and was an assistant at Central Michigan in 1965. By 1967, he became head coach there, garnering National Coach of the Year honors in 1974 after leading Central Michigan to a Division II National Championship. With an impressive record of 83-32-2 over 11 seasons, he transitioned to become the athletic director at Vanderbilt University in 1978, where he remained until moving to the SEC.
