Cruz: Trump should sign college sports bill live on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ once passed

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told reporters he would like to see the Protect College Sports Act, the proposed landmark legislation regulating the big business of college sports, signed by President Trump live on ESPN’s “College GameDay.”

“Our goal from the beginning was not just to squeak by with 60 votes but to get a big bipartisan vote. We got that in committee, which surprised a lot of observers,” Cruz said during a press conference outside the Capitol on Monday. “I’ve spoken with House leadership in the last week and if we get a big bipartisan vote, it goes into the House with a lot of momentum … and the president is ready to sign it.”

Cruz grinned as he floated an unusual venue for the president to sign the legislation should it pass both chambers of Congress.

“I’ve actually suggested that he sign it on ‘College Gameday,’ on campus, which truly would be a remarkable moment,” the senator said, in reference to ESPN’s popular college football pregame show. “We’ve gotta get there first, but it would be an amazing victory for student athletes if we can get that done.”

The bipartisan group of lawmakers has been telegraphing confidence in the bill’s chances for weeks, pointing to recent controversies in college football and basketball regarding player eligibility and compensation as evidence the “wild west” of college sports needs to be better regulated.

The sweeping bipartisan legislation would grant the NCAA and its member schools limited antitrust protection shielding it from litigation around issues like the transfer portal, revenue sharing and student-athlete compensation through name, image and likeness endorsement deals.

Trump has endorsed the Protect College Sports Act, following the formation of a White House Task Force on College Sports earlier this year and an executive order he signed with language that closely mirrors key points of the Protect College Sports Act.

Some of the bill’s backers have expressed worry that Trump’s attachment to the bill could hurt its chances with Democrats before the midterm elections this fall.

“The president is enthusiastic, but he’s also given space in the Senate to let the coalition come together,” Cruz said. “With some senators, the president’s endorsement is more helpful than with others. That’s the nature of politics, and he understands that.”

Monday’s presser came just days after Cruz appeared on “College GameDay” to advocate with the bill, during which he was met with boos from fans at the University of Texas as he spoke extensively about the legislation.

Legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban, also a co-host of ESPN’s “College GameDay,” is one of the bill’s most prominent backers.

Critics of the College Sports Act, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), contend the bill hands the NCAA and top universities too much power and will limit the earning potential of most student athletes, particularly at nonrevenue-generating and Olympic sports.

Some conservative members in the Senate, meanwhile, have expressed concern about the bill’s ramifications relating to transgender athletes, particularly in states where they are banned from competition.

A vote on the bill, authored by Cruz and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), is expected as soon as Tuesday, though the lawmakers said Monday it could be pushed to next week depending on how efforts to whip votes in the upper chamber progress this week.