Multiple people from athletic directors on down when asked what makes the SEC as powerful and successful as it is today responded with terms such as "unity," "brotherhood," "togetherness." Make no mistake about it, the SEC’s power doesn’t come from football, it comes from unity, a shared vision of the future, an inherit belief that what is best for all schools and the conference comes before what is best for any one school. This belief is central to SEC membership and foreign to many other conferences; it is the keystone to the success of the SEC.

http://dev.chuckoliver.net/2012/07/gossip-rumors-news-and-insights-from-athletic-directors-convention