Interest groups spend $31 million lobbying Congress on Cruz, Cantwell college sports bill

Interested parties in recent months have poured tens of millions of dollars into lobbying lawmakers on sweeping legislation regulating the big business of college sports.

The Protect College Sports Act, championed by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), is the latest of these after a similar measure failed in the House earlier this year.

The bill would set caps on name, image and likeness (NIL) budgets used to compensate student-athletes, set a national standard on transfers and coaching moves and create a framework around key issues such as revenue sharing and protections for women’s and Olympic sports.

So far, parties with vested interests in the issue have spent a combined $31 million on lobbying lawmakers as they consider the proposal, according to OpenSecrets .

Some of the largest universities that have contributed include Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame, the organization found, noting 36 institutions from major conferences have put a stake in seeing the bill passed.

Critics of the legislation argue it would grant the NCAA and top schools too much power and protect them from litigation surrounding issues like NIL and the transfer portal.

President Trump has endorsed the bill, leading to skepticism among some Democrats in the Senate who are not eager to hand the president and his party a legislative victory before the midterm elections.

The Senate is expected to consider the legislation when lawmakers return to Washington next week.