Tommy Tuberville pens concerns in letter about Protect College Sports Act, details why

· Yahoo Sports

In a letter to presidents and athletics directors, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) outlined concerns he has about the Protect College Sports Act. The bipartisan bill was introduced in the Senate last week.

Tuberville broke down 10 provisions in the bill that “raise the greatest concern,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger. He pulled from his experience as a coach while detailing the aspects of the legislation that stood out as the process begins.

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Tuberville noted “open-ended eligibility-clock exceptions,” as well as transfer exceptions without penalties and the bill’s neutrality on athlete employment. He also said the “conditional” protections on non-revenue sports and Olympic sports is an issue, as is a permanent cap on athlete compensation.

With his final point, though, Tuberville called out the limits on conference realignment. That provision has been front-and-center, particularly with regard to the SEC and Big Ten. The idea of a “super league” between the two conferences continues to float around, though both commissioners – Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti – have shut down rumors of talks between the leagues.

“A legislative proposal is now advancing in the Senate that its supporters say will bring order to this landscape,” Tuberville wrote. “I have studied it closely, and I am deeply concerned that several of its provisions would do far more harm than good, impacting student-athletes, programs, and the broader system of college athletics that generations of Americans have cherished.

“As a former coach, I know that the people closest to the game should have a voice in decisions that affect the college sports ecosystem. Before Congress acts on the pending legislation, I want to hear directly from the athletic directors who would have to implement these changes.”

Greg Sankey: ‘Reasonable to expect changes’

The Protect College Sports Act’s introduction is a landmark moment in the NCAA’s quest for federal legislation to settle the landscape. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), takes aim at multiple aspects of the space – including the transfer portal, coach movement and media rights.

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However, the Big Ten and SEC are still not on board. The two conferences released a statement saying they do not support the bill in its current form and reiterated that after meeting with Cruz on Wednesday. Speaking on The Paul Finebaum Show on Friday, Sankey cited the need for changes to the bill. Of course, he said that is likely the case with any legislation.

“I think, rightly so, when a bill is introduced, it’s reasonable to expect changes,” Sankey said Friday on The Paul Finebaum Show. “There’s no law that’s perfect. In fact, I had a video conference with a member of the White House cabinet this week, and that was his observation. But I do think we have a responsibility to try to make things better.”

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