Alabama Crimson Tide director of athletics Greg Byrne is never afraid to speak his mind, even if it’s on a subject which may not be all that popular among those in power within the SEC and college football in general.

This week in an exclusive interview with USA Today, Byrne became the latest to voice support for ending the SEC Championship game being played annually amid criticism that the game does not have a place in the expanded playoff era.

“I think the ship has sailed. It’s run its course,” Byrne said on the conference title game, which the Crimson Tide has won four times since he arrived as AD in 2017. “It’s a great event. I don’t like the idea of it going away, but I think it’s reality, with an expanded playoff.”

Byrne is the second major AD to call for the ending of the game after Texas’ Chris Del Conte did the same earlier this offseason. Coaches like Lane Kiffin have echoed similar sentiments, questioning what benefit teams get from playing in the game given that they are already locked into the playoff field.

Both teams who would be playing in the game would of course secure bids in the College Football Playoff anyway, and if the SEC is determined to have some sort of qualifying event between the regular and post season, perhaps teams beyond the top-two could play against each other for playoff spots.

The SEC Championship is a massive revenue generator for the conference, which is why it’s unlikely to cease to exist. Byrne suggested that the increased revenue of a 16-team playoff — something which has been put on the back burner for now — could offset those losses.

“If you’re going to a 16-team playoff, you’re adding more games. I would imagine it would be pretty good content,” he said. “I think we need to pick a lane. We were headed for 16, and then there seemed to be pressure for 24. So, as soon as we get to 24, I guess you could say, ‘Well, we better go to 48.’ I mean, at some point, we have to pick a lane.”

When a voice as powerful as Byrne’s calls for something, the rest of the conference would be doing themselves a favor by listening very closely. It seems conference title games might not be around for all that much longer.