The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled the markup of a bipartisan measure that proposes sweeping changes to collegiate athletics and has the backing of President Donald Trump.
The panel is expected to take up several amendments at the markup on June 18, including one aimed at protecting non-revenue sports. Some athletics departments in recent years have been forced to terminate some Olympic sports due to what some college officials call an “arms race” to pay football and basketball stars and coaches.
Ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who wrote the measure with sponsor Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said after a roundtable discussion Wednesday she expects amendments next week geared at those non-revenue sports.
“I do think with women and Olympic sports, people are like … ‘How can we really guarantee that they’re not going to get left behind?’” she told reporters. “I do think there’s a lot of attention already to that.”
Cantwell also said there could be amendments about coaches, referring to the large salaries of some football and basketball coaches, and some moving among major institutions for even more money during an ongoing athletics season. The most-cited example is football coach Lane Kiffin, who left the University of Mississippi last year for Louisiana State University while the Rebels were still alive in the College Football Playoff.
