The Trump White House has decided to postpone plans to launch a commission on college sports after congressional leaders announced their intentions to introduce new legislation on the issues in question.
The president suggested the commission after numerous institutions expressed frustration over the changing face of college sports following the influx of NIL deals into colleges and universities across the country. Even National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker said he was “up for anything” if the White House could help define the best practices moving forward.
Now, however, legislators seem to be taking a hard look at the issues and are proposing their own solutions.
Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) have both said that legislation might be the way to tackle the mounting issues college sports face.
“That is actively moving forward,” Cruz recently said, according to Yahoo Sports. “We are negotiating. I think we are close to having a bipartisan product that can move. … I think college athletics is in crisis, and Congress has an obligation to step in and solve this problem.”
Trump had already tapped Texas businessman Cody Campbell to begin working on assembling such a commission. However, one of those who was expected to also be part of the group recently said he is less than enthusiastic about such a commission.
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban wondered if a commission was “necessary,” according to CBS Sports.
“I know there’s been a lot of stuff out there about some commission or whatever. I don’t think we need a commission,” Saban said. “I’ve said that before. I think we need — we know what the issues are, we just have to have people who are willing to move those and solve those and create some solutions for some of those issues. I’m all for being a consultant to anybody who would think that my experience would be beneficial to helping create some of those solutions.”
Still, Saban also said he appreciates the president’s focus.
“I know President Trump is very interested in athletics. He’s very interested in college athletics,” Saban added. “He’s very interested in maintaining the idea that people go to college to create value for the future in terms of how they develop as people, students, graduation rate, as well as having a balanced, competitive playing field. If I can be a consultant to anyone who might be able to help the future of college athletics, I would be more than happy to do that.”
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