NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Think it takes a lot of stamina to win the SEC Tournament?

Try being the public address announcer for every game.

That’s been Johnny George’s job since 2007, and his workload will be a little heavier this week.

George, who has been Arkansas’ public address announcer for 32 seasons, will be calling 13 games in five days, starting with tonight’s two first-round match-ups and including four games during Thursday’s second round and Friday’s quarterfinals. He worked 11 games the previous six years, but now there are two more games with the SEC expanding to 14 teams with the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M.

“I always talk to Johnny in January to confirm that he wants to work at the tournament again, and I ask him if he wants a backup to take a couple of late games off his plate but he never does,” SEC assistant commissioner Craig Mattox said. “I don’t know how he announces four games a day, but he’s always up for doing every game.

“He’s never had a problem at a game, so I continue to trust him. He knows his voice better than any of us.”

George, 56, said he likes to do all the games leading up to the semifinals and final so he’ll be as prepared as possible, building up momentum as the week goes on like a team on a title run. As a basketball fan, he also relishes his mid-court seat at the scorer’s table for every game.

“I love being that close to the action,” George said. “ I love watching the coaches and the players. It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else.”

George said he’s also formed friendships with many SEC referees.

“I know fans love to get on them, but they’re really great guys,” George said. “They’ve got a tough job.”

The SEC turned to George to be its public address announcer when Carl Stephens, the former Auburn announcer who had been working at the SEC Tournament since its resumption in 1979, retired in 2006. SEC officials liked what they saw and heard from George at Arkansas games, and they received positive feedback from other conference schools.

“Johnny doesn’t show any bias when he’s announcing the Arkansas game - he understands he’s got to be totally neutral - but he does a great job of giving the fans the information they need and he’s got that deep, rich voice that really sounds so good over the P.A. system,” Mattox said. “He’s so reliable and well prepared, and always does his homework, so he knows how to pronounce every player’s name.”

George, who lives in Springdale and is executive vice president of Hunt Ventures, has his travel expenses to the tournament paid by the SEC. He also receives a small stipend.

“I don’t do it for the money,” George said with a laugh. “I do it because I love it. I hope I can keep doing it for a long time.”

Mattox said the SEC wants George to stay on the job.

“I intend to keep asking him back for as long as he’s willing and able to do it for us,” Mattox said. “He’s our guy now.”

Sports, Pages 26 on 03/13/2013