Randy Levine to Newsmax: College Sports Will 'Implode' Without Bill
New York Yankees President Randy Levine is calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a bipartisan college sports bill next month, arguing that universities are spending beyond their means on athletic programs and that the current system is on the verge of collapse.
"Most of the money goes to college football and men's basketball," Levine said in an appearance on Newsmax's "Greg Kelly Reports." "And because there's not enough to go around, they're starting to cut what we call Olympic sports, women's sports, nonrevenue sports."
Levine, who was recently named to help lead a college sports commission created by President Donald Trump, said universities have been dipping into endowments and student fees to fund ballooning athletic department budgets. Trump has backed the legislation.
The Protect College Sports Act, sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.), cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in June by a 19-9 vote. A floor vote had been expected before the August recess but was pushed to September, with Levine saying he anticipates action around September 15.
If passed, the bill would codify athletes' name, image, and likeness rights into federal law, guarantee scholarships and health care protections, regulate agents, and allow schools to pool their media rights. It would also prevent the largest athletic programs from reducing women's and Olympic sports below their 2024-25 funding levels for nine years.
Levine framed the legislation as both a financial lifeline and a fairness measure, saying it would double the money available to athletes and create a more equitable system across college sports. "Of course, you have detractors, as you always do," he said. "But as we come to the stretch, this whole system is about to just implode."
The bill has drawn broad institutional backing, with endorsements from 267 colleges, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and professional leagues including the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
Levine's appearance comes amid a wave of legal disputes that have further destabilized college athletics. Recent court rulings have permitted players who had turned professional to return to college rosters, a trend he said illustrates the confusion at the heart of the current system. Tight end Dae'Quan Wright is set to join Louisiana State University following a court order and his release from the Cleveland Browns, while guard RJ Luis was granted an injunction making him eligible this season after his own legal fight.
The disputes widened Thursday, when a judge in Dallas County, Texas, issued a temporary restraining order blocking a new Southeastern Conference rule that would have barred athletes who had played professionally from competing in the league. The case involves more than 40 players.
"Either you're a student-athlete or you're a professional athlete," Levine said, underscoring what he sees as the need for clear federal standards.
The coming weeks on Capitol Hill are expected to determine whether the bill can overcome remaining opposition and reach the Senate floor before the window for legislative action narrows further.
