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Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, chair of the SEC presidents and chancellors, has released a new statement regarding the Protect College Sports Act. She said the group is looking forward to seeing fresh bill language with revisions included.
The SEC has said it does not support the bipartisan bill in its current form, and the Big Ten has said the same. Officials from the conference have continued to talk with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) about the legislation as they work through the process.
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The current hope is that the bill can make it to the Senate floor next week, sources told On3’s Pete Nakos, as negotiations continue. Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) holds the authority to call it for a full vote on the Senate floor.
In her statement Monday, Plowman said the SEC supports language in the bill about transfer and eligibility rules. However, the conference still wants to see amendments, though they have hope new language will address certain issues.
“We applaud how the language we have seen so far addresses important issues including transfer rules and eligibility,” the statement read. “That means student-athletes would not be able to transfer every year, putting their educations and team dynamics at risk – or toggle back and forth between professional teams and university teams with no intention of getting a degree.
“The SEC has also been clear and transparent with our congressional stakeholders about critical amendments to the bill, such as anti-trust and preemption language. This would address the barrage of lawsuits that have been constantly reshaping college athletics over the last several years, and would create an even playing field under federal law, rather than leaving student-athletes and universities to navigate a patchwork of inconsistent state laws.
“We are eager to see refined bill language as time to a vote draws near, and are hopeful updated language will address these important issues. We appreciate Senators Cruz and Cantwell’s efforts. This bill is important to all of us and we will continue to offer our assistance.”
The Protect College Sports Act would take aim at conference realignment, media rights, coach movement and the transfer portal, among other issues. Legislators also recently entered “Deal Mode,” as Ross Dellenger detailed.
Greg Sankey: ‘One opportunity’ to get bill right
Monday’s statement came after SEC commissioner Greg Sankey also spoke about the Protect College Sports Act, which remains on track for the Senate floor following a markup and Commerce Committee vote. With regard to the bill, he said there is “one opportunity” to get it right and conversations will continue.
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“Our recommendations are intended to help Congress achieve what our student-athletes, our universities and our fan desire: that one national framework of meaningful protections for student-athletes, enforceable rules, fair competition and providing long-term stability,” Sankey said Monday to start SEC media days. “If Congress is going to act, and again I believe it should for the reasons identified, we have one opportunity to get this legislation right.
“If Congress passes a bill and it’s signed into law, we won’t be returning to D.C. in a year or two asking and receiving help to correct the gaps that exist. That’s why it’s important that these common sense areas be addressed now before the bill becomes law. But for us, federal legislation is only one part of our responsibility. The same principles that we talk about guiding Congressional decision-making should also guide us every day.”
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