Beyond the brackets, Florida seeks college sports solutions amid possible Trump action
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida is hoping for the best — and preparing for the worst — when it comes to Congress or the Trump administration getting involved in the already convoluted world of college sports. State university leaders, who launched a task force on intercollege athletics Monday, are pushing Congress to pass an antitrust exemption that could regulate student athlete endorsement deals and protect schools from possible lawsuits. But, with D.
C. lawmakers gridlocked and executive action from President Donald Trump looming yet uncertain, Florida is working to craft state-level policies that could install some guardrails for schools doling out millions of dollars to stay competitive, even without a clear federal standard. “We don’t want to do something or say something that’s going to disadvantage these major institutions,” said Alan Levine, who chairs the Board of Governors.
“But at the same time, we have an obligation, a fiduciary obligation, to make sure the values of our institutions are not sacrificed to pursue what seems like a good deal today, that in five or ten years, may in hindsight, [have] been a bad decision. ” Florida is in a unique position as college sports evolve; the state has several public universities, each with their own major athletics programs, under the same system umbrella. State leaders have attempted to stay ahead of the curve amid massive changes unleashed by the House v.
NCAA settlement case, which kickstarted the Name, Image and Likeness era by allowing schools to make direct payments to student athletes for the first time. Notably, the Board of Governors last year allowed Florida universities to steer millions of dollars toward athletics programs that long have been self-supporting through what is supposed to be a temporary fix. But with other schools and states throwing millions into college sports, and private equity entering the arena, university leaders fear Florida could fall behind.
Schools are searching for new revenue streams — think jersey patches or corporate sponsorships — but those will eventually max out, leaving universities “looking for new wells to tap,” said University of Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin. “College athletics is the only entity in our country where a group of nonprofits compete in zero-sum competition,” said Stricklin, who is serving on the Board of Governors panel. “And when you have that environment, there’s never enough.
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