As a college athlete, I have seen firsthand the impact of the system that has given me my dream. However, this system is now starting to break. The NCAA v. Alston and House v. NCAA decisions have created chaos within the NCAA, leading to a patchwork of state laws and court decisions that have created an unstable landscape for college sports.
The Consequences
The consequences of this instability extend beyond recruiting. I have witnessed some of my closest friends get cut from their teams to accommodate roster caps. Budgets continue to tighten as schools stretch to provide more scholarships and services to athletes. Some universities have eliminated Olympic sports like men’s swimming or track and field altogether, while conferences have dropped championship sponsorship for others.
The transfer portal has also fundamentally changed college athletics, uprooting any resemblance of school loyalty that once existed. I personally know athletes who have transferred two or more times, and it’s no secret that forming a deep-rooted team culture is already difficult, let alone when the composition of your team changes every year.
A Call to Action
Congress must intervene before college sports as we now know them are destroyed. The Protect College Sports Act, S. 4668, is our best shot to establish a level playing field for all college athletes, revenue and non-revenue. While no bill is perfect, this legislation is necessary to establish a framework of laws to govern revenue sharing and Name, Image, Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and eligibility — protecting Olympic sports and millions of student-athletes.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
