As anticipated, on Thursday, members of the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled an amended college sports bill, dubbed the SCORE Act (Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements). If enacted, this bill could greatly influence NCAA athletics.
The primary goal of the bill is to “safeguard the name, image, and likeness rights of student-athletes to ensure equitable compensation in intercollegiate athletics, among other goals.”
Potential effects of the legislation include:
- Establishing federal guidelines for NIL (Name, Image, Likeness)
- Regulating agents who represent college athletes
- Preventing schools from rescinding scholarships due to injuries or performance issues
- Mandating institutions to furnish adequate academic support and healthcare coverage for former athletes for up to three years post-graduation
- Ensuring a minimum of 16 varsity teams at schools
- Imposing restrictions on the use of student fees for athletic programs.
Democrats Janelle Bynum (Ore.) and Shomari Figures (Ala.) presented this legislation with support from Republican representatives. Although the bill is likely to pass in the House, it necessitates seven Democratic votes in the Senate, requiring a total of 60 votes to advance. Despite being championed by two Democrats, the proposal faces considerable opposition within the Democratic Party.
Though the SCORE Act’s introduction is a significant milestone, it is merely the initial step in a long journey towards becoming law. If eventually forwarded to the executive branch, it can be signed into law by President Donald Trump. The bill is also expected to undergo amendments throughout the legislative process.
