Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott took in more than $3 million in 2011-12. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott pulled in more than $3 million for the calendar year 2011-12, according to tax documents released by the conference on Sunday. That number makes Scott the highest-paid conference commissioner ever, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Scott’s total surpassed that of Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, whose $2.8 million in compensation made him the highest-paid conference commissioner as recently as last week. Interestingly, Scott’s compensation is almost double that of the SEC’s Mike Slive, who netted $1.6 million.

Scott took home a base salary of $1,575,000 with a bonus of $1,376,000. Other compensation accounted for $71,462 of his total.

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By Holly Anderson

I'm used to strange mail, but this one is this year's leader in the clubhouse twitpic.com/cqhc6v—
Bob Ley (@BobLeyESPN) May 14, 2013

This is way better than the guy in our inbox who wants to make sure we know we can divine Wes Lunt’s transfer destination by realizing we cannot spell “Lunt” without “UT.”

By Holly Anderson

SEC announces TV deal, cages contingent of millionaires in display of imperial power GIF: twitpic.com/cnultq—
  (@teamcatlab) May 03, 2013

We were there, and if you didn’t get to watch the live stream, this is pretty much all you missed:

The SEC Network: Not short on money, or coaches who wish they’d worn more comfortable pants to this press conference. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Project X has been unveiled as the SEC Network at last, with a logo and a launch date and everything. We’re sure you have so many questions. We’re here to help.

• What’s all this, then? This is the SEC Network, introduced to the public this morning by a host of ESPN suits and assorted conference coaches, including Messrs. Bielema, Franklin, Freeze, Jones, Malzahn, Miles, Mullen, Muschamp, Pinkel, Richt, Saban, Spurrier, Stoops and Sumlin.

• Did all those football coaches have to perch up on those director’s chairs that whole time? Just long enough to get a good squirm, and for us to confirm that everyone in attendance was wearing socks.

• Did any coach interrupt the show to take a phone call? No, but when the network trailer showed Jadeveon Clowney’s infamous Michigan hit, Spurrier and Saban bent their heads together, presumably to share a chuckle at the Wolverines’ expense.

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South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier continues to push for payments to players. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

The SEC’s new television network will officially be announced on Thursday, setting the already lucrative league up for even more revenue. Does that mean it’s time for SEC players to begin getting part of that payout? South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier certainly thinks so.

Spurrier told GoGamecocks.com that players should see a share of the revenue they produce, especially with the prospect of significantly more money on the horizon.

“As the commissioner and the presidents and the athletic directors all say, we are going to make a whole lot more money,” Spurrier said. “My question is, ‘When are we going to start giving a little bit of it to the performers?’ Football and basketball players. It won’t do any good probably, but I’m going to still keep yelling for them. They bring in an awful lot of money for all of us.”

This isn’t a new position for Spurrier, who has pushed the issue of player stipends before. It’s also worth noting: When the SEC network and new College Football Playoff take effect, each team in the league could enjoy a potentially $10-14 million increase in payout from 2011-12 in as little as two years, according to a USA Today report.

In an official statement, Commissioner John Swofford highlighted the ACC’s solidarity and leadership. (Chuck Burton/AP)

By Zac Ellis

The ACC’s member schools have signed a 15-school Grant of Rights agreement through 2027, the league announced Monday. ACCSports.com’s David Glenn first reported the news.

“This announcement further highlights the continued solidarity and commitment by our member institutions,” said ACC commissioner John Swofford in a statement. “The Council of Presidents has shown tremendous leadership in insuring the ACC is extremely well positioned with unlimited potential.”

The move will likely halt conference realignment for the immediate future by drastically decreasing the odds of current ACC teams leaving for another conference. A Grant of Rights agreement involves teams surrendering control of TV rights to the league, meaning the ACC would retain rights to certain media revenue until the deal’s conclusion, even if a team left the conference. The ACC already has a $50 million exit fee in place — which Florida State voted against and which Maryland is currently fighting — but this would be a more definitive move toward enhancing the league’s stability. The Big 12 was the last major football conference to agree to a Grant of Rights.

MANDEL: Rejoice! ACC deal should halt conference realignment

Jeremy Fowler of CBSSports.com reports that the ACC is in talks with ESPN about establishing its own network, following the model of the Big Ten, Pac-12 and the soon-to-be-announced SEC network.

Charlie Strong and Louisville tried to schedule a nonconference game with Texas A&M. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater were two of the nation’s top quarterbacks last year, and the two nearly squared off to start the 2013 season. Louisville coach Charlie Strong told ESPN’s Brett McMurphy that the Cardinals and Aggies were close to scheduling a season-opening clash at Houston’s Reliant Stadium, but the possibility fell through.

Louisville wanted to boost its soft nonconference slate with a matchup against Texas A&M, and the Cardinals also came close to locking in a meeting with defending national champion Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. However, Virginia Tech opted to keep its matchup with the Tide after briefly considering dropping the game if quarterback Logan Thomas declared for the NFL. Thomas opted to return to the Hokies in January.

Louisville is entering its final season in the Big East before moving to the ACC in 2014. It’s scheduled to face Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, FIU and Kentucky in nonconference games this fall. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is kicking off its second season in the SEC. It has nonconference matchups scheduled against Rice, Sam Houston State, SMU and UTEP.

By Holly Anderson

This post is sponsored by the imaginary but influential Jefferson Pilot Preservation Society.

We will be in attendance Tuesday at the unveiling of the SEC Network. If anyone needs us, we will be the ones asking coaches to take inspiration from their Atlanta surroundings and explain which Designing Woman has most inspired them to live like a champion. And if this new undertaking does not contain at least three Daves of ESPN’s choosing, we will storm out in a mighty snit.

Responsible party for this video: Patrick Claybon, whom you should be following despite the fact that he is not named Dave.

Steve Spurrier, your thoughts on media coverage of South Carolina’s pro day?

Steve Spurrier: “I noticed both USCs had their pro timing day today. One of them finished No. 7 in the country, the other was not (1/4)—
Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) March 27, 2013

in the Top 25, yet ESPN decided to go out to the one in California which did not finish in the Top 25 and televise their day live. (2/4)—
Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) March 27, 2013

It’s interesting that (ESPN) doesn’t come around here on signing day, they don’t come around here on pro timing day, and yet (3/4)—
Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) March 27, 2013

they want us to play all these Thursday night games. Maybe we need to consider playing on that new network, FoxSports 1" (4/4)—
Josh Kendall (@JoshatTheState) March 27, 2013

The OBC has clearly not been briefed on the WWL’s Take A Sun Bowl Loser To Work Day initiative.

Just name the conference after Teddy Bridgewater. He’s who we’re here to see, and by the time he’s drafted there’ll be all new teams in the league and they’d be renaming it anyway. (AP)

React with mild enthusiasm in a manner of your choosing, brothers and sisters: The Big East/ESPN media rights deal is complete. Conference release:

Commissioner Michael Aresco has announced that the current Big East Conference, soon to be renamed and rebranded, has entered into a multiyear, wide-ranging television contract with ESPN to telecast its football, basketball and Olympic sports. Financial terms of the agreement were not announced. The contract will run through 2019-20. 

No news at this time on what will become of the Big East Pinterest account, so those of you planning USF football-themed weddings may want to consult your planners.