The SCORE Act “has died” and is “unlikely to be revived during this calendar year,” according to sources cited by Ross Dellenger of YAHOO SPORTS. The college sports industry’s “next, new hope for legislation” now rests in negotiations between Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) that, “while progressing, have not culminated yet in a deal” as of Wednesday afternoon. Any Senate bill is “expected to include narrow antitrust protections around player movement (transfers) and eligibility standards, as well as some codification of portions of the NCAA’s landmark House settlement, optionality to pool media rights and an agent registry/certification system.” The Senate version “may be absent of the rigid anti-employment concept found in SCORE,” but the “chances of its passage remain unclear, especially given what unfolded on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.” Members of the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus “unleashed a barrage of criticisms against SEC university leaders for remaining silent as their state lawmakers pursued attacks on the Voting Rights Act by redrawing congressional districts.” It “served as the final death blow to SCORE,” which the SEC and Big Ten “backed in a significant way.” Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti on Tuesday said that the millions spent on lobbying efforts and hours invested in trips to D.C. “resulted in ‘disappointment,’” but he is “not ready to give up on the lobbying effort in D.C. despite the results.” But Dellenger wrote Petitti “sounded like a man exasperated” (YAHOO SPORTS, 5/20).
STAYING POSITIVE: SBJ’s Ben Portnoy wrote many in the industry remain optimistic a bipartisan approach from Cantwell and Cruz could be the solution, and there is belief that language could be released for broader discussion as soon as this week. President Trump staked some capital on college sports legislation in creating a presidential committee composed of myriad stakeholders from in and around the enterprise to peck away at potential options. With midterms approaching, it remains unclear whether Democrats will be willing to help deliver the White House a legislative win on such a contentious issue (SBJ College).
