Bipartisan push to set rules for college athletes’ pay continues to advance in US Senate

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday took another step forward on a sweeping bipartisan bill to overhaul the college sports world. 

The measure, clearing its second procedural hurdle on a 77-22 vote, would set national standards for college athletes’ compensation, provide certain antitrust protections to the NCAA, establish a five-year eligibility timeline for athletes and bar professional athletes from competing in college athletics.

GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state championed the bill, with Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware as original cosponsors.  

Senators will now move ahead with debating and possibly amending and conducting a final vote on the measure.

‘Reason to the craziness’

Cantwell took to the Senate floor to push for her colleagues’ support ahead of Thursday’s procedural vote, saying the bill attempts to “bring some reason to the craziness that has basically been plaguing the most important aspects of college sports.” 

She noted that the “historic” measure would put into law “more than a dozen ... important provisions that help athletes and protect them for the future.” 

But critics argue the measure, which is notably neutral on the classification of athletes as employees, would undermine the labor rights of college players. 

One of the most vocal opponents, Sen. Chris Murphy, told MS NOW on Thursday that the bill “seeks to preserve the exploitative model of college sports.” 

The Connecticut Democrat also criticized the priorities of Congress in taking up the college sports issue amid the war in Iran and its impact on gas prices. 

“We have a war that is out of control in the Middle East, we have gas prices that are soon going to be $6 a gallon,” Murphy said. “This seems to be the last issue that Congress should be dealing with, and I think it shows how out of touch Republicans are.” 

As of mid-afternoon Thursday, the procedural vote on the college sports bill and a procedural vote on a federal judge, to be followed by a confirmation vote if successful, were the only items on the Senate majority whip’s notice for floor action.

NCAA guidelines fallout

The bill marks a major attempt to combat many of the problems facing the college sports landscape, which continues to wrestle with the fallout of the NCAA’s guidelines in 2021 allowing athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness. 

College sports leaders also are grappling with a patchwork of state NIL laws, gender inequity in compensation deals and the NCAA’s controversial transfer portal, among other key issues.

Adding fuel to the fire, a federal judge last year approved the terms of a nearly $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, which paved the way for schools to directly pay athletes. 

Meanwhile, if the Senate ultimately passes the bill in the coming days, the House would not take up the measure until the lame-duck session beginning after the midterm elections.  

The lower chamber left town Wednesday for a seven-week campaign break ahead of the midterms in November.