The SEC will add a countdown clock on the sidelines of games this fall to display the time remaining during TV timeouts. The conference announced the decision on Tuesday in a news release.
“The use of a visible timeout countdown clock will provide fans in particular an opportunity to know when a game will re-start after a television timeout and hopefully give some definition to the perceived delays in a game,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a news release. “The clock will also give teams, game officials and event administrators more definitive information for time management in their respective areas of the game.”
The clock will be operated by the TV timeout official on the field during commercial breaks, then be turned off during game action. The clock will display the time until the stoppage ends, at which point the ball will be made ready for play.
The countdown clock will not be used in Alabama’s neutral-site opener against Louisville but will be used for all seven home games at Bryant-Denny Stadium this fall, its four conference road games and the SEC championship.
Reach Ben Jones at ben@tidesports.com or 205-722-0196.
