LSU latest SEC school to write letter opposing current version of Protect College Sports Act

As the legislative process rolls on when it comes to the Protect College Sports Act, the number of opposing voices continues to grow. Add LSU to the list of SEC schools that has filed a letter with lawmakers in opposition to the act in its current form.

Alabama, Auburn, Texas and Texas A&M have all written similar letters describing concern about the legislation in its current form. Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger provided a copy of LSU’s letter on Monday evening.

[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]

The letter first thanked the Senate Commerce Committee for its work on the act. Then it politely provided some dissent.

“For nearly a century, LSU has been at the forefront of college athletics, and we recognize that the important issues facing us today necessitate substantive reform. While we appreciate all the efforts surrounding the Protect College Sports Act, we believe key issues remain with the legislation and we do not support the bill in its current form,” the letter read.

The letter, which was signed by LSU president Dr. Wade Rousse and Lee Mallett, the Chairman of the LSU Board of Supervisors, went on to express hope that the committee could reach amenable solutions. It finished:

“We look forward to working with the House, the Senate, and our fellow institutions in the Southeastern Conference to make the needed improvements to this legislation. We are hopeful that together, we can support a bill that will truly help ensure college athletics is preserved for our students and all higher education institutions.”

In June, Rousse and Mallett were originally listed among the signees of a letter sent to lawmakers in support of the bill, which would have been notable given Big Ten and SEC opposition. Mallett told On3 that he supported the SCORE Act instead, and Rousse told Yahoo! Sports that he did not authorize his name to be used in support of the bill.

Their letter Monday came on the heels of letters from Alabama, Auburn, Texas and Texas A&M. Alabama and Auburn issued a joint letter about a week ago, while the letter from Texas and Texas A&M was written in late June.

“The University of Alabama and Auburn University oppose the Protect College Sports Act and urge the Senate not to advance it in its current form,” the Alabama and Auburn statement read in part. “The bill is presented as a way to ‘stabilize’ college athletics, but it would do the opposite by perpetuating the very instability it claims to cure through provisions …”