Cruz, Cantwell bill to overhaul college sports gets Nick Saban backing |
Cruz, Cantwell bill to overhaul college sports gets Nick Saban backing
Senators in both parties say they are close to passing landmark legislation that would pave the way for a major overhaul of the rules governing college athletics.
The “Protect College Sports” Act, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) last week, would set a national standard for NCAA member schools on issues like the transfer portal, revenue sharing and name, image and likeness endorsement opportunities used to lure student athletes to elite programs around the country each year.
It would also ban athletic departments from recruiting coaches to leave a school during the season or in the playoffs. The rule is known informally as the “Lane Kiffin rule” after the Ole Miss football coach who left for LSU last season as his former team competed for a national championship. Kiffin said his move was partly driven by LSU’s larger name, image and likeness (NIL) spending.
Cruz argues his legislation would prevent power from being concentrated with a few schools.
“Some critics ask, with everything going on in the world, why is Congress focused on college sports,” Cruz said at the hearing. “If we do nothing, the current trajectory will concentrate more power in fewer hands and widen the gap between the richest programs and everyone else.”
The Cruz-Cantwell bill got an endorsement at Wednesday’s hearing from former University of Alabama coach Nick Saban.
“Congress does not need to micromanage college athletics. We want an education-based model that protects........