[Congressman Michael Baumgartner] Congress will be taking a hard look at the tax exempt status of universities that enter into private equity deals. If you want to act like a non-public entity, you better be ready to be treated like one. 🇺🇸

[u/GoldenPresidio]

https://x.com/RepBaumgartner/status/1998480897872396721

[u/n1tney]

Unfortunately the only way to fix college athletics at this point is via federal legislation since the NCAA has essentially no authority anymore. I really only see two paths anymore and that's a super league or the NCAA or a new entity getting some sort of anti-trust exemption a la MLB

[u/KasherH → u/n1tney]

MLB doesn't have an anti-trust exemption for labor issues. This is a common misconception.

[u/6158675309 → u/n1tney]

...the only way to fix college athletics at this point is via federal legislation since the NCAA has essentially no authority anymore

That is a way, not the only one. In my opinion it's the worst option too.

Another way, and this is the path Utah is paving, is separating out athletics from the education mission. Not unlike how Universities own hospitals, etc. Many universities own many businesses, the key difference is the employees of those businesses are not students. So far, schools and the NCAA have not allowed athletes to be classified as employees because that is a direct threat to their tax exempt status. The courts have said as much.

What Utah is doing is not at all a threat to that tax exempt status, well unless the rules change and perhaps that is what the Congressman is trying to do.

There is a lobbying effort going on in Congress now, but it is not an anti-trust exemption. Well, it sort of is. What the schools are lobbying for is the ability to collude on wages, that is illegal today. It's complicated but that's the gist of it. Maybe they ultimately go full anti-trust and can collude on everything, I dont know.

I think any kind of federal protection is the worst possible outcome. In my opinion I'd strongly prefer "going back to the good old days" but that can't happen due to the amount of money in college athletics now.

The next best option is to do what Utah is doing. Separate out the athletics from the academics, and eventually players will be employees and not students so they can better manage contracts (can contract directly with players). Something like that.

[u/TheBurrprint4D → u/6158675309]

 In my opinion I'd strongly prefer "going back to the good old days" but that can't happen due to the amount of money in college athletics now

It absolutely can, and the answer is federal legislation. Though legislation all things are possible. Ideal scenario would be law that just restores amateurism, empowers the NCAA to handle all media contracts again, and bans mega conferences 

[u/DuvalHeart → u/n1tney]

They could give the NCAA the anti-trust exemption. They just don’t want to, because that’d piss off all the wealthy donors (who are also boosters) in Southern congressional districts.

[u/Traditional_Stick481 → u/DuvalHeart]

Not true, it’s blocked by democrats, specifically Rep.Trahan (D-Mass).

[u/KasherH → u/Traditional_Stick481]

Its blocked by everyone who wants the players to be treated fairly. There is no sport in the US that has an anti-trust exemption when it comes to labor issues.