The two biggest conferences in college sports
released a statement Tuesday saying they do not support the current version of a bipartisan bill designed to regulate an industry struggling for answers in a quickly changing era in which some players make millions.
The SEC and Big Ten conferences said the "bill leaves critical issues unresolved," including not "meaningfully" preempting state laws with a federal one, which has long been considered a key element for a measure to get support from the NCAA and the conferences.
In an interview last week, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who drafted the bill with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told The Associated Press "the bill is drafted to preempt state laws that conflict with the provisions in this bill."
The bill, called the
Protect College Sports Act, would provide the NCAA with an antitrust exemption to enforce several rules that have been recently challenged in court, including limiting transfers and athlete eligibility and prohibiting schools from poaching a coach during the season.
The SEC-Big Ten statement came out less than 24 hours before a scheduled hearing about the bill in front of the Senate Commerce Committee. Cruz chairs the panel and Cantwell is the ranking Democrat.
The legislation has received support from the Big 12 and ACC, but the Big Ten and SEC, as the two richest leagues that also have decision-making power over the future of the College Football Playoff, hold the biggest cards.
One of the bill's key provisions would give conferences an option to pool their media rights, an idea the Big Ten and SEC have long claimed would not result in a financial windfall that proponents suggest. The leagues' statement did not speak to that issue.
A spokesperson for the Commerce Committee acknowledged the Big Ten-SEC position.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
