Senator Schmitt Unveils National Blueprint to Save College Sports

Schmitt Outlines Four Principles to Secure Stability, Protect Players, Restore NIL's Original Purpose, Put Fans First

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO), a former college athlete and member of the Senate Commerce Committee, unveiled his blueprint to restore stability and safeguard the long-term success of college athletics amid the chaos of the NIL-era. The framework identifies four core principles that should be included in any meaningful legislation about college sports. Importantly, many of the ideas needed to move forward are already on the table. Through Chairman Cruz's leadership and ongoing work on this issue, along with some thoughtful approaches of Ranking Member Cantwell, a bipartisan framework can emerge from the Commerce Committee to serve as the foundation for legislation that fixes this issue once and for all.

"College sports are uniquely American. They're a source of entertainment and pride for millions of athletes, students, alumni, parents, and fans. As a former two-sport college athlete, I know firsthand the excitement and impact they bring to families in Missouri and across the U.S. Unfortunately, there is currently a chaotic landscape in college sports, with no guardrails, guidelines, or rules. Congress must step in to safeguard the future of college sports, protect student-athletes, and restore order to a system that has grown unbalanced. Today, I am presenting a blueprint with four core principles to end rulemaking by lawsuit, clarify transfer rules, establish national standards, and prioritize the long-term success of college athletics," said Senator Schmitt.

Pillar One: Secure Stability

• End rulemaking by lawsuit.
• Allow athlete-protective rules without the threat of immediate, freezing litigation.
• Create a national standard.
• Allow conferences to choose their own governing bodies.

Pillar Two: Fix the Framework

• Create a national one-time transfer rule.
• Strengthen and reaffirm eligibility standards.
• Align coaching transitions with transfer windows to minimize disruption.

Pillar Three: Protect Players and Non-Revenue Sports

• Protect Olympic and women's sports by requiring schools to maintain a certain number of varsity sports.
• Restore NIL to its original purpose.
• Authorize direct compensation from schools to student-athletes.
• Ensure NIL compensation is rendered at fair market value.
• Prohibit "sham contracts".

Pillar Four: Put Fans First

• Maximize value from media deals.
• Restore stability and predictability during conference realignments.
• Prioritize long-term success.

Senator Schmitt launched a website to hear directly from student-athletes, parents, and coaches. You can find that website HERE.

Read Senator Schmitt's blueprint for college sports HERE.

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