Big news in college sports: the SCORE Act, a sweeping bill meant to regulate how the NCAA pays student-athletes and set national rules on name, image, and likeness (NIL) contracts, just hit a wall in Congress.
This bill had backing from the NCAA, the White House, and the U.S. Olympic organization. But suddenly, it was yanked from the House voting schedule after a wave of opposition from rank-and-file Republicans.
Now, it looks like the legislation is on ice until next year. Lawmakers want to iron out the lingering issues before it moves forward. If you want the full story, check out the article here.
The SCORE Act: An Overview
The Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements, or SCORE Act, is supposed to lock in rules from a multibillion-dollar settlement last year. It would expand how student-athletes can earn money.
The bill guarantees students the right to sign NIL deals without interference from their schools or athletic organizations. It wants to replace the patchwork of state NIL laws with a single national standard.
Key Provisions of the SCORE Act
Here’s what the SCORE Act would do:
- Guaranteed NIL Rights: Student-athletes could sign NIL contracts freely, no strings from their schools.
- Uniform National Standards: Would wipe out the jumble of state NIL laws for one national rulebook.
- Legal Protections for Schools: Makes clear student-athletes aren’t employees, so colleges avoid tricky employment laws.
- Support Services: Schools would have to offer academic and career counseling, mental health support, and medical coverage for injury-related costs for up to three years after graduation.
Political Hurdles and Opposition
Despite some big-name support, the SCORE Act is running into real resistance in Congress. Most congressional Democrats aren’t on board, saying the bill hands too much power to the NCAA.
They’re worried the protections for the NCAA and colleges could let the biggest sports programs call all the shots. Some lawmakers also think the bill was rushed and that Congress has bigger fish to fry before the year wraps up.
Republican Concerns
It’s not just Democrats. Some Republicans are uneasy with the bill’s setup. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, led a pushback on the House floor, saying the bill just isn’t ready yet.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., agreed, saying they’ll revisit the bill to build a stronger coalition. No one seems eager to rush this through.
The Legal Battle Over Student-Athlete Compensation
The fight over how to pay student-athletes has dragged on for years. The big shift came in 2021, when the Supreme Court ruled in NCAA v. Alston that the NCAA was unfairly making money off college athletes’ NIL rights.
That decision forced changes. States started passing their own NIL laws, and the NCAA eventually let athletes sign NIL deals and endorsement contracts without breaking conference rules.
Impact of the 2024 Settlement
The 2024 settlement in House v. NCAA was another turning point. Now, each school can pay its athletes up to $20.5 million a year.
That’s about 22% of the average athletic department revenue for Power Four schools. The SCORE Act is trying to cement these changes into federal law, aiming to keep college sports amateur while making sure athletes get a fair shake.
Future of the SCORE Act
Congress is about to break for the holidays in two weeks, so the SCORE Act probably won’t move until next year. Lawmakers have other urgent stuff on their plates, like passing healthcare bills to keep Obamacare subsidies from expiring and hammering out the annual budget before the January 30 deadline.
Looking Ahead
The future of the SCORE Act? Still up in the air, honestly. With the debate over student-athlete compensation dragging on, lawmakers have their work cut out for them.
They’ll need to hash out concerns from both sides and figure out the details if they want the bill to actually pass. Meanwhile, the NCAA and states are left to deal with the shifting world of NIL contracts and what student-athletes should get paid.
If you’re curious for a deeper dive into the SCORE Act and what it all might mean, check out the full article on Deseret News here.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
