MORGANTOWN — In one of the great ironies of time, the Protect College Sports Act, which allegedly was proposed to bring some sanity to what has been termed the “Wild West” era of collegiate sports, has become a political football as it passed in the Senate, 77-22, and now moves on to the House of Representatives.
The bill grants the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption in order to restore its five-year eligibility rule while limiting transfers. The bill also would codify the regulation of name, image and likeness deals that has not only allowed athletes to be paid but for some of them to earn millions of dollars.
The bill has the strong support of the NCAA and most of the most powerful schools in that organization, including West Virginia University, along with President Trump and Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Washington.
West Virginia U.S. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito has spoken out in support of the bill.
“We’re not turning back the clock, and whether you loved or hated the old system, we shouldn’t try. The problem is that college sports entered this new era without a stable framework to govern it,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., on the floor of the Senate on Monday before the vote.
However, the bill will face stronger opposition in the House when they return from recess, as well as opposition from labor organizations and athlete organizations to NAACP.
The bill is based upon the assumption that the rapid rise in significant costs in college sports is all because of the money being paid to the athletes while not addressing the considerable upward swing in coaching compensation, where Lane Kiffin jumped from Mississippi to LSU for $91 million over 7 years.
Coaches are now making $3 million and up, many staffs having jumped from 9 to 20 assistants, top assistants making as much as $2 million a year, and athletic directors and fundraisers also seeing large jumps in compensation as they work to run the show and raise money to fund all this.
Opponents of the bill say it unfairly places limits on athletes without allowing them an equal seat at the table alongside powerful institutions.
“That’s what frustrates me — is we have a bill that’s going to protect the wealth and the gravy train for a lot of folks but puts burdens on college athletes,” said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who played tight end at Stanford University, speaking in an interview with NPR last week. The New Jersey Democrat voted against the bill.
West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez, who has been a vocal supporter of the bill, was asked during his Tuesday press conference why when it seemed to work to cap players’ ability to earn the full amount they are worth while coaches and administrators have seen their revenue skyrocket along with the players.
“Fair question,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. Would I want them to cap the coaching? No! But at the same time I can understand where the argument is because of where that money is being spent, but I think in a free market society, you all are being paid what you are being paid and I think that’s a hard ask in American society.
“But the argument on a collective bargaining agreement and the players having something to say on that money is being spent, I can see that argument, too. I don’t see how a guy gets that much money as some of these guys are getting and to say they are not an employee [and don’t have collective bargaining rights] .
“From what I understand, this bill doesn’t close the door on that and they can still possibly have a CBA and have collective bargaining going forward. I think it should pass because it addresses most of the issues and the big issue of whether they can still have collective bargaining is still viable and it could get passed.
“I think this is the first step that has to happen. I don’t know what will happen in the House of Representatives or someone tries to make a political thing out of it instead of what’s best for college sports. I’m hoping it will pass the house and you’ll get some sense of structure.”
And if it doesn’t pass the House of Representatives?
“I’m telling you, it’s a mess,” Rodriguez said. “I’m really concerned if it doesn’t pass the House but this gives the structure we want. I don’t know if you could cap wages or get collective bargaining with it but I think there’s a lot more ways college football can make more money and I also think there are ways we can save more money. All schools are thinking about that because it’s really expensive to run college athletics and it’s getting more expensive each month.”
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