Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive will retire next summer after 13 years leading the league and plans to begin treatment for a recurrence of prostate cancer.
The 74-year-old Slive says his retirement will take effect July 31.
Slive took over the SEC in 2002 and it has become the nation's top football conference. The SEC had a string of seven consecutive BCS titles.
Under his leadership the SEC has landed huge television rights deals with CBS and ESPN and launched the SEC Network in August. League revenues have grown from about $96 million when he took over to $310 million last year.
Vanderbilt chancellor Nick Zeppos says the SEC will begin a search for a successor. The conference says Slive will become a consultant to the SEC.