House Fails to Pass Bill Aiming to Regulate College Sports, NIL Amidst Growing Congressional Divide
WASHINGTON – A proposed bill intended to establish national standards for college athletics, including Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and athlete transfers, failed to pass the House of Representatives on Wednesday, highlighting a growing rift within congress over the future of collegiate sports. The bill, introduced in July with bipartisan support from leaders of three House committees, sought to grant the NCAA authority to cap NIL spending and set transfer parameters, provided athletes retain the ability to transfer once with immediate eligibility.
The legislation also aimed to codify fair-market-value assessments for NIL deals – aligning with the terms of the House vs. NCAA settlement - and empower universities to prevent conflicts between athlete NIL agreements and existing school sponsorships. Crucially, the bill would have shielded the NCAA, conferences, and schools from antitrust and state-court lawsuits stemming from these new rules, and explicitly prevented athletes from being classified as university employees.
The NCAA has actively lobbied for Congressional antitrust provisions for the past decade, particularly as its previous regulations regarding athlete compensation and transfer eligibility were overturned by state laws and legal challenges.
However, Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) publicly announced his opposition, stating via social media, “The SCORE Act (college sports) is well-intended but falls short and is not ready for prime time. I will vote no.” He cited both procedural concerns – a lack of chance for amendments – and “legitimate concerns and questions” about the bill’s substance.
The failed vote occurred simultaneously with Representative Lori trahan (D-Mass.), a former division-I volleyball player, announcing plans to introduce an alternative bill. Trahan’s proposal mirrors a recent Senate proposal, advocating for federal standards for NIL rights and the pooling of media rights. It also calls for the creation of a bipartisan Commission to Stabilize College Sports, tasked with developing long-term governance recommendations within a two-year timeframe.
“Despite years of intense lobbying from the most powerful institutions in college athletics, Congress is increasingly divided on how to address the challenges threatening the industry,” Trahan stated in a news release, a prediction that proved accurate with the bill’s defeat.
The outcome signals continued uncertainty for the NCAA as it navigates the evolving landscape of NIL and athlete rights, and underscores the difficulty of achieving consensus on federal legislation to regulate college sports.
