Power Four Conferences Lobby Congress for Antitrust Protection Amid NCAA Settlement Decision

A coalition of college athletic officials, including commissioners from the Power Four conferences and athletic directors, lobbied lawmakers on Capitol Hill for antitrust protections essential for maintaining college athletics' amateurism model amid ongoing changes. This lobbying effort comes as a federal judge reviews a significant NCAA settlement that could lead to over $2 billion in payments to athletes and further financial commitments. Louisville athletic director Josh Heird emphasized the need for legislative support to help fund a $2.8 billion class-action lawsuit settlement and a proposed $20.5 million revenue-sharing plan. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark expressed optimism about the discussions, highlighting a shared passion among legislators for the future of collegiate sports. The talks also included standardization of rules concerning name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments, as well as the treatment of college athletes as employees. The outcome of these discussions could have a profound impact on the sustainability of college athletics moving forward.