[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6526122,"mediaKeyId","3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b","parentId",3805084,"title","Settlement implementation, transfer portal and scholarship rules flagged as potential threat to smaller programs","audioSeconds",5492,"startMs",3295000,"endMs",8787000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b&start=3295&end=8787","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b/thumbnail_3295000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6526122/Settlement-implementation-transfer-portal-and-scholarship-rules-flagged-as-potential-threat-to-smaller-programs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526122-85120b8e2a7456d25891d941f1b6259f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186149&Signature=kFM5eEbiJ6nFcfyX4rtoQrjSJKl2v87TMUj6PEU3GAHMZI3kf72Wcxbb0i0O2QrgbA5ZSIxbN7K3A8Buk3F9oalSWZlPNHbfHqtQP88VpoiIgQ4omv5-qo8aR29L-M0y3LfXc2ZKkBHGNjZ8m2ioAPW3xpFBblApis80KLwJYIjGvIAWVlqDPsEKz1pGseDc3-XWmDdyHM9IPQQJtLqWL8tPAOaDJxHedv4w9z7RmJAVkHjYgIeUFDXipNy-yrcXmuBPvKT3OoUhhTN0hBGHGJTqLTPmcEYXyYd7SZh1s0sopq~tfCLG54hZaEvCvu6ajJZA4~4ShYEsR9E~khfZeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce","date","2025-06-13T05:10:16Z","article","A major focus of questions at the hearing concerned how settlement implementation and any federal legislation would affect transfer rules, scholarship limits and the future of nonrevenue sports.

William King of the Southeastern Conference told the subcommittee the settlement eliminates scholarship limits and replaces them with roster limits for each sport, and he described protections for athletes who might otherwise lose roster spots: designated statuses that do not count against roster caps for affected athletes. King said those changes can increase scholarship flexibility for some programs and allow conferences and institutions to implement revenue-sharing mechanisms and post-participation benefits.

Student-athlete witness Ashley Kozad and Big South Commissioner Sharika Montgomery both emphasized the risk that an employee model or heavy regulation that increased institutional costs could force smaller schools to cut nonrevenue and Olympic sports. Kozad said classifying athletes as employees “would be incredibly detrimental for the majority of student athletes.” Montgomery said many Big South programs “depend on institutional support” and praised the SCORE Act’s stated guarantees for scholarships and degree completion while urging attention to smaller institutions’ capacity.

Several members — including Representatives Nancy Mace and Lisa McClain — pressed witnesses about competitive imbalances created by varying state NIL laws and warned of a “race to the bottom.” Witnesses and members discussed the role of collectives and boosters; Ramogi Huma said the draft would limit booster-funded collectives and could reduce athlete compensation routed through those groups, while King said data reporting and a College Sports Commission (created under the settlement) are intended to review NIL agreements for fake NIL or pay-for-play concerns.

Committee members asked for additional information and raised requests for written follow-up on how revenue-sharing and data reporting would work in practice. No policy votes were taken during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CMT Hearing: Winning Off the Field: Legislative Proposal to Stabilize NIL and College Athletics","oneSentenceSummary","Witnesses and members debated how the House v. NCAA settlement and the SCORE Act would affect transfer rules, scholarship and roster limits, and the viability of nonrevenue sports; conference witnesses described mechanisms intended to preserve opportunities but members warned of uneven effects across schools.","taxTitle","Energy and Commerce: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1824,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6526126,"Athlete safety and legal remedies emerge as flashpoints; advocates call for enforceable standards",1382,2449000,3831000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b&start=2449&end=3831","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b/thumbnail_2449000.jpg","/articles/6526126/Athlete-safety-and-legal-remedies-emerge-as-flashpoints-advocates-call-for-enforceable-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526126-53772ed83dfa8d91d3b3c92137333c67/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186149&Signature=LtWOkKKPHER2WLXy-9vMM1jmWAHG1a9pve~92gFgDaeE8e~YgR19Bp7poEXByWK~gfP~DxqpwbT89D-KVlSmh0Gw3imA0zqwS~uY2timiZV5QxztPJGwbzNNznTJQhFshn1fISraPAxtpO-V7cis1-fWXAGPgoQYunjfnqk48QsaTCA2W2vn5pu0oY95Fyu6u1iff8mEEuPbC2S3Y7YwOu8jHBGMC5QA46wrjfP5LQrFJljfHmWqx9bYR4qkrCZWc2oxKxubkp09PRRAhliDkBUMLv7FUcYyysQdkBLGooEjeIqyB9LAdy8YDIuMj80nqug2DYiqkQy~-S8nCgclaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Calls for enforceable athlete safety protections and access to legal remedies were a prominent theme at the hearing.

Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association, told the committee Congress should act to require enforceable safety standards and an independent enforcement mechanism. “If the schools don’t do it, who does?” Huma asked, describing cases in which families said institutional processes failed after deaths and abuse. He urged party-level enforcement rather than self-policing by schools or the NCAA and said immunity or broad liability exemptions in federal law would harm athletes’ ability to seek accountability.

Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky pressed Huma and other witnesses on mandatory protections. Huma cited concussion protocols, heat-illness prevention and enforceable standards used by professional leagues and urged congressional mandates and oversight. “We need a referee,” Huma said, adding that civil suits provide discovery and deterrence when schools or conferences fail to provide information to families.

Conference representatives acknowledged the importance of health and safety measures. William King of the Southeastern Conference said conferences and institutions have expanded coverage and that some provisions in the settlement and proposals include post-participation medical coverage. He and Sharika Montgomery of the Big South said federal action could help standardize protections, but both also argued that liability protections tied to compliance with a federal standard would help give institutions the certainty needed to make long-term program commitments.

Several members, including Representative Lori Trahan and Representative Diana DeGette, cited specific high-profile deaths and abuses and urged Congress to couple any national NIL framework with enforceable safety oversight and clear remedies for athletes harmed by negligent or abusive conduct.

The hearing did not produce consensus on how to balance liability protection for institutions with athletes’ access to courts and compensatory remedies. Witnesses and members agreed on the need to reduce preventable harm but differed on whether courts or a federal enforcement body should be primary.","The hearing included repeated calls for enforceable safety standards and dispute resolution. Athlete advocates said the SCORE Act as written lacks mechanisms for enforcement or for athletes to seek legal recourse; conference officials urged limited liability protections tied to compliance with federal rules.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6526131,"House Energy and Commerce hearing on SCORE Act divides stakeholders over athlete rights and NCAA authority",1049,1084000,2133000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b&start=1084&end=2133","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3805084-2e2d875e26676d71f7ed49ec1afa5a3b/thumbnail_1084000.jpg","/articles/6526131/House-Energy-and-Commerce-hearing-on-SCORE-Act-divides-stakeholders-over-athlete-rights-and-NCAA-authority","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526131-1c343f3f7e217ca0111326e64fc8bcd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186149&Signature=baEpo3B-vlax6-ApVeLWsfmHm-juXBIDQARqednXDMaPDLUNouXs9Gy570Cx9ErJ7Ovj-FXXmqdYDm3WRqMsgj1Vdqt0-pJF8x5LXOOc18hdWsOJ6nzWZeRc1kEPlPD~wXLDC9SVLFsVAYiY~GOb-OdQX7bTeBHHOS~3sopJQWyUe49StNHV5WIpFbHwgVq3B3zekt~MJNDLMn5Gwh0tQB2VxIzVtqY-TmC5Ko0grBRy16Qd1tdltu-75y3tZPdOpiWFZoIEc~0D67TRaCxOnqYcDgsCYS3nSMgEhyxU716gk8QQeeiDGPHmZ5lI~Ba7kTKttl07lQXN2hKQmItsvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee held a legislative hearing on a discussion draft called the SCORE Act, a proposal meant to create a national framework for name, image and likeness (NIL) rights and other changes after the recently approved House v. NCAA settlement.

The committee’s chairman, Representative Gus Bilirakis, opened the hearing by describing the draft as “designed to bring predictability, fairness, and long term balance” and said it was intended to replace the current “patchwork of state laws.” He said the draft was built around clarity, stability and support for student athletes.

The hearing laid bare deep divisions. Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association (NCPA), told the committee the NCPA “is opposed to the SCORE Act,” calling the NCAA and many conferences “a predatory industry that exploits college athletes” and arguing the draft would insulate institutions from liability and restrict athletes’ rights. Huma urged stronger, enforceable safety protections and said the bill’s language would block athletes’ access to labor protections and limit remedies if institutions violate athletes’ rights.

Sharika Montgomery, commissioner of the Big South Conference, and William King, associate commissioner for legal affairs and compliance at the Southeastern Conference, urged congressional action to create a uniform federal standard and to codify elements of the settlement. Montgomery said a federal standard would give student athletes consistent “guarantees” around scholarships and degree-completion protections. King said federal legislation and preemption of state laws are needed to preserve a national competitive structure and to give institutions a path to implement the settlement and related revenue-sharing rules.

Ashley Kozad, a former Division I swimmer and recent student-athlete representative, told members that uniform NIL rules would reduce confusion for athletes who currently face conflicting state laws. Kozad also said classifying athletes as employees would “be incredibly detrimental for the majority of student athletes” and could end opportunities for many nonrevenue and Olympic sports.

Members pressed witnesses on multiple fronts: the bill’s treatment of antitrust and labor law, how the settlement’s revenue-share rules would work in practice, safeguards against pay-for-play or fake-NIL deals, agent regulation and how to avoid a two-tier system that advantages large, high-revenue programs.

Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky and other Democrats expressed concern that the draft, as written, would grant too much power to the NCAA and conferences while removing athletes’ legal remedies. Several members, including Representative Kathy Castor and Representative Lori Trahan, emphasized athlete safety, citing past deaths and abuse cases and urging enforceable safety standards with party-level enforcement.

The hearing concluded without formal committee action; witnesses were invited to respond to follow-up questions for the record. Members on both sides said they would continue intercommittee negotiations with Judiciary and Education and the Workforce committees to refine the draft.

The hearing brought forward competing priorities: institutional stability and uniformity advocated by conference officials, and enforceable protections and legal remedies urged by athlete advocates and some members. That tension will shape next steps as lawmakers consider whether and how to translate the settlement and the SCORE Act discussion draft into federal law.","Witnesses and members split at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing over the SCORE Act discussion draft and the recently approved House v. NCAA settlement, debating federal preemption, liability protections, revenue sharing and athlete protections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Settlement implementation, transfer portal and scholarship rules flagged as potential threat to smaller programs

Athlete safety and legal remedies emerge as flashpoints; advocates call for enforceable standards

House Energy and Commerce hearing on SCORE Act divides stakeholders over athlete rights and NCAA authority