NCAA president Charlie Baker formally endorses Protect College Sports Act ahead of Senate markup

· Yahoo Sports

NCAA president Charlie Baker has formally endorsed the Protect College Sports Act ahead of a scheduled markup in the Senate. While he said there are issues the bill does not address, the bill would play an important role in settling the landscape.

In his initial response to the Protect College Sports Act’s filing, Baker did not directly say if he supported the bipartisan legislation and said revisions would be necessary. However, he later spoke in favor of its passage after the Brendan Sorsby ruling. The Texas Tech quarterback was deemed eligible after a judge granted an injunction. The NCAA declared Sorsby ineligible amid gambling allegations.

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Now, ahead of Thursday’s markup, Baker said there are areas the NCAA faces that Congress must step in to address. As a result, he supports the bill while acknowledging areas it does not necessarily address.

“The @NCAA has made long overdue changes to its rules, modernizing college sports and delivering real results for student-athletes across the country,” Baker wrote on X. “Today, DI student-athletes receive $1billion in financial benefits, billions more in scholarships. Additionally, the NCAA now mandates access to health, wellness and educational benefits like guaranteed scholarships. Thanks to these reforms, the investments of all 1,100 schools, and the support of coaches, educators and trainers, the future for the 550,000 student-athletes competing today is bright and getting even brighter.

“We must do all we can to safeguard the opportunities of this uniquely American system for the next generation of student-athletes. Every sports league needs rules, and there are certain challenges to NCAA rules that only Congress can address. The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act’s sections bolstering eligibility, transfer and agent policies are needed now to deliver on that obligation.”

Charlie Baker: Legislation ‘requires compromise’

The Protect College Sports Act is on the agenda for June 18 at 10 a.m. ET, the committee said. It will be part of an executive session convened by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the committee chair and co-sponsor of the bipartisan legislation. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) is also a sponsor along with Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.).

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During a markup, legislators and suggest amendments to the bill and vote, which would pave the way for it to head to the Senate floor. As conversations continue, Baker said compromise is necessary for the legislation to become law, which is why more work is necessary.

“As a former governor, I understand that getting important legislation done requires compromise,” Baker said. “While the bill does not address every issue college sports face, the current state of play cannot continue, and we must move the bill forward. I look forward to working alongside our student-athlete leaders and all 1,100 schools to advance this bill and make changes to ensure it’s as effective as possible.”

In addition to the NCAA, the Big 12 and ACC have also voiced support for the Protect College Sports Act, as have the NFL and Major League Baseball. However, the SEC and Big Ten previously said they do not support the bill in its current state. The two conferences also held meetings with senators last week.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also spoke out against the bill Tuesday on the Senate floor. He called it a “federal takeover” of college sports and said he does not currently support the legislation.

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