The college sports landscape has never been more chaotic, but the sports themselves have never been more popular.
The breakdown of the college sports framework has created an environment where, in the words of former college football coach Nick Saban, “We have no rules.”
That may be hyperbole, but he is not far off.
Television flooded colleges with revenue, triggering a movement to share proceeds with the athletes. Court decisions weakened the NCAA’s ability to enforce the rules. The transfer portal allowed players to become free agents every year. Conference realignment destroyed traditional rivalries.
Yet for all the turmoil, when the games begin, more people than ever are watching and listening.
ESPN’s college football viewership was up 16 percent last season. The women’s NCAA Final Four was the second most-watched ever, behind only the 2024 tournament. The first weekend of this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament shattered viewership records.
So, fans, coaches and administrators rightfully complain about the state of college sports, but come game time, fans keep buying the product. But it’s reasonable to wonder if that is sustainable in the current “no rules” environment, and here’s why:
Colleges and universities competing in the sports arms race are running into money trouble. Senator Marie Cantwell (D, Washington), co-sponsor of the Protect College Sports Act, said last month that 94 percent of Division I programs are in the red and that universities and state governments have increased spending by $520 million at 53 Power Four schools since 2015 to help cover increased costs.
The bill, cosponsored by Cantwell and Ted Cruz (R, Texas), passed the Senate last month 77-22 with bipartisan support and now goes to the House. Here are just a few of the key provisions in the bill:
–It establishes in law the right of athletes to earn a share of the revenue received by the school, as well as the players’ ability to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness.
–The bill slows down the annual “free agency” market of players by allowing, in most circumstances, only one transfer without sitting out a year.
–It establishes a five-year eligibility window.
–Players are protected from having their scholarships cancelled due to poor performance or injury.
–Schools would face a spending cap equal to $49 million for revenue sharing and NIL.
–Agents would have to register and have their fees capped at five percent.
–The bill contains protections for women’s and Olympic sports.
–And perhaps most importantly, it gives the NCAA limited protection from antitrust challenges when the governing body enforces rules on eligibility, transfer and compensation rules.
The bill is not perfect. Critics worry schools will still find loopholes to outspend competitors and that the athletes would not have employee status. The bill could also have unintended consequences that no one can foresee until it takes effect.
College sports have never been more popular. Fans may overlook the chaos, but colleges and universities cannot because they are currently on a financially unsustainable path, while the coaches and athletes deal with uncertain rules.
The Protect College Sports Act does not solve every problem, but it does provide a framework of enforceable and understandable rules that everyone can follow.