Nick Saban, Brian Kelly to meet with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise
WASHINGTON — Nick Saban took pictures with dozens of legislative assistants at the SEC at the Capitol event on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, the Alabama head coach is meeting with one of the power brokers who will have legitimate sway over any federal legislation aimed at NIL. Saban, along with LSU head coach Brian Kelly and athletic director Scott Woodward, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne and president Stuart Bell, are meeting with Majority Leader Steve Scalise according to Sports Illustrated.
The hope is to have a productive conversation about the future of college athletes and NIL regulations. For more than a year now, conference commissioners and coaches have called on Capitol Hill to enact legislation for NIL oversight.
Meanwhile, the NCAA has yet to fully enforce its NIL policies. College athletics’ governing body does not have subpoena power and has been lobbying for an antitrust exemption for years.
Nick Saban, SEC contingent take over Capitol Hill
There are really just two bills in the works right now that appear to have momentum behind them. Florida Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis released a discussion draft last month, which avoided taking a stance on employees. The legislation would ban pay-for-play by prohibiting boosters and collectives from inducements. A U.S. Intercollegiate Athletics Commission would be established, too, to oversee the NIL process.
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) have also been working on a federal bill on college athletics but a draft has been yet to be introduced.
A delegation of SEC administrators, coaches and athletes descended on Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and athletes met with Florida Congressional Reps. Kat Cammack and Gus Bilirakis. They also had face time on the Hill with Sen. Marco Rubio. Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork had a productive chat with Sen. Ted Cruz, too.
And on Thursday, NCAA president Charlie Baker, Kansas State chancellor Douglas Girod, Clemson athletic director Graham Neff, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher will all be speaking on panels at the University of Arizona‘s “The Future of College Sports” summit.