Two Republican congressmen introduced a bill Wednesday that would provide the NCAA, college conferences and member schools with federal protection from legal challenges that stand in the way of their ability to govern college sports.
The Protect the Ball Act is sponsored by Reps. Russell Fry of South Carolina and Barry Moore of Alabama and is intended to provide legal safe harbor for the entities that run college sports, which has been under siege from antitrust lawsuits. Fry and Moore are members of the House Judiciary Committee.
The NCAA and Power Four conferences are considering a settlement agreement that could cost billions. House vs. the NCAA seeks damages for college athletes who were denied the right to make money from sponsorship and endorsement deals going back to 2016, five years before the NCAA lifted its ban on name, image and likeness compensation.
Almost as problematic for the NCAA are recent lawsuits filed by states that attack some of the association's most basic rules related to recruiting inducements and multiple-time transfers.
The Protect the Ball Act would give the NCAA protection from litigation and allow the association and conferences to regulate things like recruiting, eligibility standards and the way college athletes are compensated for name, image and likeness.
“NIL rules are ever-changing, heavily litigated and essentially unenforceable — causing confusion and chaos for everyone involved,” Fry said. “We must establish a liability shield on the national level to protect schools, student-athletes and conferences as they navigate this new set of circumstances. This legislation is an integral component of saving college sports as we know it.”
College sports leaders have been asking Congress for several years for help in regulating how athletes can be paid for NIL, though NCAA President Charlie Baker and others have shifted the emphasis recently to preventing college athletes from being deemed employees.
The lawsuit settlement being considered would create a revenue-sharing system for college athletes, but the NCAA and conferences would still need help from federal lawmakers to shield them from future lawsuits and possibly to create a special status for college athletes.
“It is imperative we reach a uniform standard of rules around competition soon and I’m really pleased to see that our congressional engagement efforts are being heard and action is being taken," said former Oklahoma State softball player Morgyn Wynne, who has served as co-chair of the NCAA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
At least seven bills have been introduced — some merely as discussion drafts — by lawmakers in both the House and Senate since 2020, but none has gained any traction.
The Protect the Ball Act is a narrow bill intended to support broader legislation that would create a national standard for NIL compensation in college sports.
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
FILE - NCAA signage outside the headquarters in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 12, 2020. A settlement being discussed in an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA and major college conferences could cost billions and pave the way for a new compensation model for college athletes. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.
Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.
“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”
Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.
Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.
“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”
New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.
“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”
With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.
“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”
Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.
“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”
Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.
Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.
“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”
Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.
Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.
Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
