Who owns college sports? The American people do, and Congress must protect it | Opinion

Cody Campbell is Chairman of the Board of the Texas Tech University Board of Regents and Founder of Saving College Sports, a non-profit organization formed to preserve the institution of intercollegiate athletics. Until recently, the question of who owns intercollegiate athletics has never been a question our country had to ask. Today, however, largely due to a unanimous U.

S. Supreme Court Decision , Congress must step in and decide who controls — and who benefits — from the various untethered parts, pieces, and whole of intercollegiate athletics. Regulatory anarchy, and athletic departments facing financial insolvency, and a flagrant power grab by the most powerful names and entities in college sports have been well documented by alarming headlines.

College sports are a unique and undeniable cornerstone of American culture. They’ve provided access to higher education for more kids than any program other than the G. I.

Bill. This access demonstrably molds today’s athletes into the leaders of tomorrow with 60%+ of American CEOs having a college sports background. The lessons that are forged on the playing field create a stronger country with stronger leaders.