Baumgartner Slams NCAA Settlement, Calls on Trump to Save College Sports

WASHINGTON- Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Chair of the Congressional College Sports Caucus, issued the following statement, following the announcement that a final settlement agreement has been reached in the House v. NCAAlitigation.

"The House settlement locks in an unsustainable model that enriches the power conferences at the expense of everyone else - walk-ons, women's teams, Olympic sports," said Congressman Baumgartner. "And just like Teddy Roosevelt saved college football in 1905, President Trump can step in to save college sports today. My RESTORE Act is the roadmap, with fair revenue-sharing, rationalized conferences, and reasonable student compensation."

The Housesettlement answers some legal questions around athlete compensation - but locks in a model that is financially unsustainable and unfair. The inclusion of hard roster caps - jammed into the settlement late at the urging of the NCAA and power conferences - has nothing to do with NIL rights. These limits weren't necessary to resolve the lawsuit. They're about locking out opportunities to lock in profits.

Background:

Judge Wilken deserves credit for insisting that current athletes - and now even incoming freshmen - not lose their roster spots overnight. That's a win for fairness. But make no mistake: this settlement doesn't fix college sports. It codifies a system that will hurt walk-ons, squeeze Olympic sports, and hollow out Title IX-compliant women's teams - all to benefit a few power programs and television executives.

In 1905, college football was on the brink until President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in. He understood that leadership matters. President Trump is uniquely positioned to do the same. He knows how to disrupt broken systems and restore competitive balance.

The president should move forward with executive action to save college sports. Baumgartner's Restore College Sports Actoffers a blueprint:

• Rebuild regional rivalries and cut travel costs,
• Structure fair revenue-sharing across sports and schools,
• Protect opportunities for walk-ons and Olympic athletes,
• Deliver compensation for students without destroying what makes college sports great.

This settlement may close a lawsuit - but it opens a much larger crisis. We don't need more litigation. We need leadership.

Read the bill text here.

Read the one-pager here.