Donald Trump’s Proposed Commission Adds New Wrinkle To Future Of College Athletics

The commission itself could be created via executive order.

Trump’s involvement is unusual as most political figures have stayed out of the running of sports generally. However, the NCAA and member conferences have asked for congressional intervention to codify measures that would be in their interest, so political favor has been sought out by college athletics power brokers.

For example, NCAA President Charlie Baker and conference commissioners have advocated for an ant-trust exemption that would codify parts of the House settlement as well as protect the NCAA and power conferences from the constant threat of legal challenges.

Five senators representing both parties – Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas and Jerry Moran of Kansas and Democrats Cory Booker of New Jersey, Chris Coons of Delaware and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut – have been working on a college athletics bill, but nothing is imminent.

Saban met with Trump recently to discuss his concerns with the direction of college athletics. Where Saban stands on complicated issues, like athletes being employees vs. students, is unknown. Most of the views Saban has expressed have been football-related. He’s suggested a national NIL bill and that athletes should have to sign contracts with schools.

Campbell played at Texas Tech in the early 2000s and was an offensive lineman on the Indianapolis Colts reserve list in 2005-06. He founded an oil-related energy holdings firm after his playing career ended and is a billionaire.

Campbell made his feelings known on the direction of college athletics when he penned a March story in The Federalist on his views. He is a supporter of the traditional college model, and he credited his own participation in that model as part of his own success.

“The lifeline of college sports is on life support. What started as an amateur dream is now a multibillion-dollar beast, and the big dogs — the SEC, Big Ten, and to a lesser extent the Big 12 and the ACC, the “Autonomy Four” — are ready to rip it apart,” Campbell wrote.

“They’ll tell you it’s about fairness for athletes and ‘stabilization’ of the system. Don’t buy it. It’s a heist, and the victims are the kids you don’t see on ESPN: the gymnast flipping on a worn mat, the wrestler grinding for a D-II shot, the swimmer making laps in the pool at 5 a.m. every day,” he continued.

Campbell advocates for athlete compensation but opposes the continuing trend of consolidation of power among the Power Four conferences.

“This isn’t about left or right; it’s about right and wrong. The NCAA is broken, but handing the keys to a few fat cats is worse. America thrives on competition, not cozy cartels blessed by D.C.,” Campbell wrote.

In an April story in The Federalist, Campbell went further with his ideas.

“Without comprehensive reform in the governance of college sports, and without regulation and enforcement measures to ensure competitive and economic parity, the anti-trust protection and federal preemption of state laws being discussed in Congress will only act to facilitate a less chaotic descent into professionalization,” he wrote.

Campbell said that his solutions would include having athletes remain as students and not employees. He believes in “proper application of Title IX with respect to payment of student athletes must be made clear in order to prevent another wave of disruptive litigation.”

Campbell suggested that college sports should be included in the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. He suggests that would allow media rights money to be more evenly spread throughout schools in Division I.

Campbell is also in favor of returning conferences to something that makes geographical sense.

How these ideas would be implemented and how long it would take to implement them is conjecture. The ideas expressed by Campbell, even if backed by an executive order, would still be subject to legal challenges.

Some of what has been proposed would be amenable to schools, some would not. Same for the athletes.

One thing is certain. The commission would be another factor that could dramatically alter the future of college athletics. Schools like Indiana will continue to wait and see what that future holds.