Jim Phillips calls Protect College Sports Act ‘last hope’ for help from Congress

In the NCAA’s years-long quest for help from Congress to settle the landscape, the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act presents an opportunity for federal legislation. As the process goes along, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips called the bill college sports’ “last hope” for Congressional assistance.

The bill, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in May, is on track for the Senate floor after passing the commerce committee in a markup and vote. Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has the authority to call the bill for a full floor vote, and Yahoo! Sports reported lawmakers have “intentions” of bringing it to the floor before a month-long break begins in August.

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Phillips and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark have both spoken in support of the Protect College Sports Act while the Big Ten and SEC made clear they are against the bill in its current state. While talks go on, Phillips said it’s an important moment for the NCAA’s efforts on Capitol Hill.

“This is our last hope relative to getting some help from Congress,” Phillips said Wednesday in Charlotte at ACC Kickoff. “I don’t know that I could share, what does that look like beyond if we’re not able to get some help there, because I don’t think anybody wants to go in that direction just yet.

“We are truthfully working as hard as we can to make this thing work. I don’t know how much more disrupted college sports could be. But we would enter that ecosystem if we can’t get something done.”

In addition to federal legislation, ideas such as collective bargaining have come up in conversations about the future of college athletics. Tennessee athletics director Danny White has been one of the top voices in support of such a move. TCU head coach Sonny Dykes told Andy & Ari On3 last week he is also in favor of it.

Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing about the Protect College Sports Act. Presidents from four Big Ten schools – Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and USC – met with Cruz and Cantwell on Tuesday about the bill. Revisions are also being discussed and formalized, and Yahoo! Sports reported there is “movement.”

Jim Phillips: ‘You’ve got to work together’

With the legislative process will moving along, Jim Phillips still thinks Congress has the ability to make something happen to help settle the college sports landscape. He noted areas that likely need improvement in the bill, but said it’s important to find the “middle ground.” However, if the bill doesn’t go into law, Phillips said the blame will fall on college athletics leadership.

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“You’ve got to work together and you got to collaborate, get to a happy medium,” Phillips said. “Maybe it’s not perfect for either side, but you get to the middle ground that at the end will absolutely help stabilize college sports. We have a responsibility to do that as commissioners – we just do. We have certainly first and foremost responsibility to our own schools. But then you have a responsibility to the greater good and the sustainability of college sports. I know my fellow commissioners feel the same way. So we’re getting closer. … I remain hopeful.

“I still remain confident that we can get something done, because if we don’t, it’s all on us. That’s our fault. It just is, because we’re supposed to be the stewards of this thing called college sports. Whatever that looks like, however long we’re in these roles, you want it to look better when you leave than when you first started.”