The SEC and Big Ten are on board with the Senate’s new bill regarding collegiate sports.
After weeks of negotiations, the two powerhouse NCAA conferences agreed on Friday night to support a Senate bill — dubbed the Protect College Sports Act — that would impose federal sanctions on college athletics.
Both the SEC and Big Ten were battling with the Senate Commerce Committee regarding the bill’s details, which would limit the expansion of conferences and the compensation of student athletes.
Though many within each conference initially said the bill did not fully address all of their concerns, they wound up voting to support the notion on Friday.
“The Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference support the Protect College Sports Act as currently drafted, following detailed and productive negotiations with Senators (Ted) Cruz, (Maria) Cantwell and (Eric) Schmitt and their respective staffs,” the two conferences said in a joint statement Friday night, according to Politico. “We appreciate the substantial work that has gone into this effort.”
The conferences’ support could lead the way for Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to set the bill up for a floor vote ahead of the Senate’s August recess, but it’s still unclear if it could clear the required 60-vote threshold in the chamber.
Sens. Cruz (R-Texas) and Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the bipartisan legislation in May to help combat some of the issues that have stemmed across the NCAA in recent years.
Some of the issues addressed in the Protect College Sports Act include:
- Giving the NCAA an antitrust exemption to enforce rules that have been challenged in the courts.
- Limiting athletes to one “free” transfer during their collegiate careers.
- Limiting coach movement during the season.
- Limiting student-athlete eligibility to a max of five years.
- Prohibiting former pro athletes from returning to play in college.
- Allowing the NCAA and the College Sports Commission to enforce a cap on how much schools can pay their athletes
The most recent version of the bill emphasized the enforcement of the rules around “associated entities” to try and win over the conferences’ support, Politico reported. The ACC and Big 12 also held calls with their university leaders about the bill Thursday afternoon.
NCAA president Charlie Baker also urged both university leaders and senators to find common-ground behind the bill.
“It is long past time leaders across college sports call for the immediate passage of the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act — a bill supported by student-athlete leaders, Democrats, Republicans and NCAA schools from all three divisions,” Baker wrote in a statement Friday.
The White House also intervened with bringing the two conferences on board, with President Donald Trump threatening to condemn the SEC and Big Ten via his social media platforms, according to Yahoo Sports.
“The White House has been following these negotiations closely, and the President has been actively engaged,” an administration official told Politico.
“President Trump wants to save college sports, and he wants the bill done.”
