While football is the main point of this week’s SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla., a majority of the conversations with its commissioner has been about the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA).
The PCSA is a bipartisan bill aimed at stabilizing collegiate athletics by establishing a unified national framework for athlete compensation, transfers, athlete eligibility and broadcasting rights.
When the bill was introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) this past May, it was opposed by the SEC and Big Ten Conference. The Power 2 conferences have since returned their provisions to the authors of the bill, including Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who also helped write the bill.
“We believe changes to the act are necessary to make it most effective, and the changes we’ve suggested are both achievable and reasonable, and we’re committed to working with Congress to move the legislation across the finish line,” SEC Commissioner Sankey said during Monday’s opening press conference at SEC Media Days.
Sankey was honest on how his league does not support the bill in its current form and confirmed the league has had “real” discussions about breaking away from the NCAA and doing its own thing.
However, those are just discussions. The SEC would rather work with the bill to get the things it does not like fixed, so they can help move the bill through Congress.
“I think they’re all worth consideration and inclusion,” he said. “Whether we achieve that or not remains to be seen. But I so appreciate the engagement of Sens. (Cantwell) and Cruz and their staffs in the conversation and others that are participating.”
The SEC, according to ESPN, offered what they called “Ten commonsense suggestions” to the Senators, which center on four principles. Those principles: national standards that must be enforceable; a national framework to limit state laws that are meant to circumvent rules; transparency and accountability; and establishing fair and consistent standards for organizations while preserving voluntary decision-making.
“If Congress is going to act, we have one opportunity to get this legislation right,” he said. “If Congress passes a bill and it’s signed into law, we won’t be returning to D.C. in a year or two asking and receiving help to correct the gaps that exist. That’s why it’s important these commonsense areas be addressed now before the bill becomes law.”
–photo courtesy of SEC Communications