Trump Urges Congress to Pass College Sports Bill This Summer as NIL Costs Hit $24 Million
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 4
Trump Urges Congress to Pass College Sports Bill This Summer as NIL Costs Hit $24 Million
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 4
Summary
Trump pressed the House and Senate to finalize the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act this summer, saying college athletics have become a "disaster" with schools losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
Nick Saban told senators the NIL market has morphed into pay-for-play, with Alabama's collective budget jumping from $2.7 million in its first year to $24 million last season and some schools now topping $40 million.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise quickly pushed back, warning the Senate bill still has "big problems" unless it blocks student-athlete employment status and limits new litigation risks for schools.
That resistance matters because Scalise said no college-sports bill can move smoothly while the SEC and Big Ten oppose key provisions, including concerns around media-rights pooling.
After Wednesday's first Senate hearing, the bill moves to amendments as conference leaders meet lawmakers and negotiators race against the August recess to reach a deal.