Big 10, SEC Back Senate’s College Sports Overhaul

University presidents and chancellors in two powerful athletic conferences backed a Senate plan to overhaul college athletics, according to a joint statement released Friday night from the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Both conferences had opposed the legislation in part because they felt it wouldn’t sufficiently preempt state laws regarding students’ name, image and likeness rights or allow for the enforcement of consistent rules, according to a June statement. Lawmakers worked to address their concerns and gave the Big Ten and SEC a deadline last week to decide their position. With the conferences’ support, the bill is likely to receive a vote in the Senate this week before lawmakers adjourn for August, Yahoo Sports reported. 

Key changes in the latest version of the legislation relate to the bill’s cap on how much institutions can pay student athletes under revenue-sharing deals, Yahoo Sports and other media outlets reported. The cap will increase from the current $21.3 million to $48.8 million, under the bill, but revenue from third-party deals will count toward that cap. That change is aimed at closing a loophole that could have allowed some institutions to exceed the cap.

Congress has sought for years to pass legislation that would exempt the NCAA from antitrust laws, clarify or restrict students’ collective bargaining rights, and implement nationwide standards for compensating student athletics, among other changes. But, no proposal has advanced beyond committee. If the Senate does vote on the bill, that will mark a significant milestone for the NCAA and colleges that have lobbied for these changes.

President Trump has also made college sports reform a top priority, convening an advisory council to advocate for legislative solutions. The White House reportedly played a key role in getting the conferences on board.