''What would it look like and whether it's actually going to happen, all of that is premature,'' Slive said. ''I think we need the time to sit down and analyze it. We need time to take ideas back to our respective conferences and . . . a decision to be made sometime later this year as we begin to talk about the . . . next format.''

The SEC commissioner said they also need to look very carefully at how any changes affect traditions like bowl games. Before the session, he said they have two years left in the current format, leaving plenty of time to work through any changes.

He's also not sure what prompted the current interest in the plus-one plan.

''It's been an enormous success for us to have four different teams win the national championship over the last six years has been incredible and unusual. It's a record that'll never be broken,'' Slive said. ''Whatever it is that brings people to the table, I'm glad they're coming.''

Slive shot down talk of any further expansion. The SEC added Texas A&M and Missouri as the league's 13th and 14th members with the 2012 football schedules released only a few weeks ago, and conference officials have many more details to handle.

''We're at 14,'' the commissioner said. ''It's going to take us time to absorb. I don't know if you realize how difficult it is to take two institutions and move them into 12 other institutions whether it's scheduling or the way we're working together. So we have our hands full for now.''

Slive's appearance came in part to help promote the SEC's women's basketball tournament in Nashville starting March 1. Slive noted between 2001 and 2019 the league will wind up playing 11 basketball tournaments in Nashville with the men's tournament coming to town in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019.