Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman issues statement for SEC on Protect College Sports Act
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University of Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, chair of SEC presidents and chancellors, released a statement on July 20 on the Protect College Sports Act, a proposed bill by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) seeking to regulate college athletics.
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The statement expressed promise in the bill's potential but reiterated the SEC's desire to see it revised to include new language addressing issues like the "barrage of lawsuits" currently causing instability and "a patchwork of inconsistent state laws."
"We are grateful to Senators Cruz and Cantwell for their leadership to stabilize college sports for all student-athletes, universities, and fans through the Protect College Sports Act," Plowman said in the statement. "The lack of clear national standards and consistent rules is unsustainable for all involved. "The SEC and its member universities have been vocal and collaborative with the senators throughout the bill drafting process, and over the course of several weeks have provided feedback from the perspective of university leaders who are trying to navigate the current state of college athletics."
Recent discussions around the bill have reportedly centered around conference realignment as lawmakers try to garner support from the SEC and Big Ten, the two most powerful conferences. Proposed adjustments include allowing members of non-Power 4 conferences to join power conferences while also capping league membership at 19 schools and requiring programs that move from one power league to another to go independent for five years.
Plowman's statement came after SEC commissioner Greg Sankey spoke about the Protect College Sports Act at SEC football media days on July 20. Sankey struck a similar tone, saying that conversations must continue to ensure anything signed into law is comprehensive.
“If Congress is going to act, and again I believe it should for the reasons identified, we have one opportunity to get this legislation right," Sankey said. “If Congress passes a bill and it’s signed into law, we won’t be returning to D.C. in a year or two asking and receiving help to correct the gaps that exist. That’s why it’s important that these common sense areas be addressed now before the bill becomes law."
Plowman previously released a statement on June 10 after SEC presidents and chancellors met with Cruz and Cantwell, calling the meeting "productive" but expressing the need for further conversations just eight days after the league released a joint statement with the Big Ten on June 2 stating they did not support the bill in its current state.
In this most recent statement, Plowman praised the bill's addressing of transfer rules and eligibility, preventing them from "putting their educations and team dynamics at risk — or toggle back and forth between professional teams and university teams with no intention of getting a degree."
She also mentioned the SEC's desires to include amendments in the bill with "anti-trust and preemption language" to "address the barrage of lawsuits that have been constantly reshaping college athletics over the last several years, and would create an even playing field under federal law, rather than leaving student-athletes and universities to navigate a patchwork of inconsistent state laws."
The bill could possibility be brought to a floor vote before the full Senate in the current working session that lasts through Aug. 7.
"We are eager to see refined bill language as time to a vote draws near, and are hopeful updated language will address these important issues," the statement reads. "We appreciate Senators Cruz and Cantwell’s efforts. This bill is important to all of us and we will continue to offer our assistance."
Emmett Siegel covers Tennessee baseball for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @EmmettSiegel_
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman issues statement for SEC on Protect College Sports Act