Bipartisan group of lawmakers push to get college sports under control and limit the financial free-for-all

Members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle are pushing for stronger regulations on college sports amid fears that the over-commercialization of student athletes and teams is spiraling out of control.

“We have way too many gaps in the process. I’m all for the players making money, but there’s got to be some rules that play into it,” said Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, a former college football coach.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association “should have been running it the right way, giving money to players out of revenue sharing,” Tuberville told The Hill. “So now we’re in a spot where there’s no rules and it’s pretty much out of control,” he said.

The latest push follows Monday night’s explosive championship final which saw the Indiana Hoosiers pull off an astonishing victory against the Miami Hurricanes.

Criticism has been leveled at the vast sums generated by both teams which reportedly spent more than $3 million each on NIL deals (”name, image or likeness”) this season. Lower regulation on such deals has been blamed for players jumping ship to schools with better NIL opportunities.

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Miami quarterback Carson Beck, for example, has an estimated NIL valuation of $3.1 million, while Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is valued at around $2.6 million, according to On3.

“There’s a reason that the phrase ‘we need a state university that the football team can be proud of’ has gained currency,” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told The Hill. “I sure won’t support any legislation that gives the NCAA even more authority, which is exactly what they’ve been looking for around here.”

“We do have a crisis, and Congress needs to act,” added Republican Ted Cruz. “And we should protect students and their NIL rights, but we need to preserve college athletics for years to come.”

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Last year, lawmakers killed off the SCORE Act, a bill designed to regulate the amount schools can spend on NIL deals and the care provided to student athletes, with Republicans arguing that the bill would give more power to top universities and donors.

Under the bill, student athletes may not be considered employees of an institution, conference, or interstate intercollegiate athletic association.

The Independent has requested comment from the NCAA on its rules regarding regulations of NIL and player protections.

A spokesperson for the association told The Hill that its current rules were previously altered to address concerns by lawmakers and activists, and that the current system is more attractive for both athletes and coaches.