{"id":2610208,"date":"2026-06-03T15:18:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T19:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/current-ncaa-landscape-is-a-race-to-the-bottom-if-spending-isnt-reined-in-saban\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T15:21:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T19:21:18","slug":"current-ncaa-landscape-is-a-race-to-the-bottom-if-spending-isnt-reined-in-saban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/current-ncaa-landscape-is-a-race-to-the-bottom-if-spending-isnt-reined-in-saban\/","title":{"rendered":"Current NCAA landscape is a &#8216;race to the bottom&#8217; if spending isn&#8217;t reined in: Saban"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcurrent-ncaa-landscape-is-a-race-to-the-bottom-if-spending-isnt-reined-in-saban%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2610208&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Nick Saban testified in support of the bipartisan Protect College sports Act, warning that the NCAA is headed for disaster unless major changes are made. He compared the situation to a car speeding toward a \u201cGrand Canyon,\u201d arguing that escalating roster costs have created an \u201carms race\u201d that threatens non-revenue sports, Olympic programs, scholarships, and overall fairness.<\/p>\n<p>Saban said the NCAA struggles to enforce its own rules as enforcement efforts frequently enough lead to lawsuits. He pointed to litigation such as a case brought by Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, where a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pa-supreme-court-throws-out-school-mask-mandate\/\" title=\"Pa. Supreme Court throws out school mask mandate\">state court ruled<\/a> in his favor on eligibility, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >highlighting broader legal uncertainty<\/a> for the NCAA.<\/p>\n<p>The bill introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell is intended to impose a clearer federal regulatory framework for college athletics, including limits and rules around player transfers, payments, midseason coaching changes, and a ban on professional players reentering the NCAA.It would also address NIL-related issues (including so-called \u201ccollectives\u201d), establish a student-athlete ombudsman for oversight, apply a five-year eligibility standard, and include measures aimed at reducing disparities between wealthy conferences and the rest.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former Alabama head football coach <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nick-saban\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"8932\">Nick Saban<\/a> testified in support of the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act in the Senate on Wednesday, issuing a stark warning to the chamber that, without serious change, the NCAA is like a car driving \u201c150 miles an hour toward the Grand Canyon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ted-cruz\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"185\">Ted Cruz<\/a> (R-TX) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maria-cantwell\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1032\">Maria Cantwell<\/a> (D-WA) introduced the Protect College Sports Act last week, marketing the bill as a bid to \u201crestore order\u201d to and \u201csave college sports\u201d by providing a regulatory framework to an NCAA rattled by litigation and disputes over its rules. The bill would roll out several regulations on the industry, including clarifications on player transfers and payments, rules on midseason coach movement, and a ban on professional players from reentering the NCAA.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4593536\/senate-republicans-drop-trump-ballroom-security-funding\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Senate Republicans drop Trump ballroom security funding to advance immigration bill<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4593184\/thune-warns-democrats-tanking-fisa-deal-pulte\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Thune warns Democrats against tanking FISA deal over Pulte: \u2018Really risky\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4592865\/fetterman-wrong-campaign-eliminate-filibuster\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Fetterman says he was wrong to campaign on eliminating the filibuster<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4583975\/ted-cruz-maria-cantwell-bipartisan-save-college-sports-bill\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4583975\">CRUZ AND CANTWELL STRIKE BIPARTISAN DEAL TO \u2018SAVE COLLEGE SPORTS\u2019 AMID LEGAL BATTLES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his testimony, Saban, the former Crimson Tide coach of 17 years and current ESPN announcer, described the exponentially rising roster costs at the University of Alabama and across the NCAA landscape.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy first year we had, collectively at Alabama, $2.7 million,\u201d Saban said. \u201cNext year: $7 million. Next year: $10 million. I retired. Next year: $17 million. Next year: $24 million. Now you have schools that have close to $40 million rosters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo if we continue to do that, we\u2019re going to lose Olympic sports, we\u2019re going to lose non-revenue sports, we\u2019re going to lose scholarships, and basically what\u2019s going to happen is we\u2019re going to have football and basketball succeed, and we\u2019ll have club sports for everything else with no scholarships. That\u2019s horrible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saban compared the \u201carms race\u201d between schools to spend the most on their rosters to get the best players as \u201ca race to the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTo put this in perspective, if you had the biggest, baddest Ferrari that you could ever have, and it was going 150 miles an hour toward the Grand Canyon,\u201d Saban said, \u201csomebody needs to tap the brakes, and I think that\u2019s what we all need to do here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saban likened the Senate bill to the rules governing professional sports leagues, such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey all have some kind of rules that govern how they compete,\u201d Saban said. \u201cIt creates parity, it creates something that gives you the opportunity to have a framework to build a fair play system in, which I think is really, really important. I think this bill does that. Right now, in college football, we have no rules.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have state laws, it\u2019s different in every state, and we have litigation. The NCAA cannot enforce their own rules, because every time they try to enforce the rule, there\u2019s a lawsuit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saban pointed to a lawsuit filed by Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who sued the NCAA for ruling he would not be eligible to play one more season with the Rebels or any other college team. Chambliss, who had missed a season of play at his previous school, Division II Ferris State, because of medical reasons, argued he should receive another year of eligibility. The Mississippi state court ruled in his favor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Chambliss lawsuit is one of many legal battles the NCAA is fighting over various regulatory matters, including whether to pay former college athletes for their lost name, image, and likeness profits. These lawsuits have caused a major headache for the NCAA as the association navigates uncharted territory, where big-name <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-carolina-tax-proceeds-via-sports-wagering-rocket-up-in-may-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"North Carolina tax proceeds via sports wagering rocket up in May - Washington Examiner\">college athletic departments<\/a> are shelling out millions of dollars on their rosters for high-profile sports such as football and basketball.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saban and other NCAA voices, such as Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, who also testified on Wednesday, are supporting Cruz and Cantwell\u2019s bill for several reasons, including its five-year eligibility standard and provisions to close loopholes that allow universities to evade their annual player compensation cap. One of the biggest of these NIL loopholes is called collectives, which Saban described as \u201can organization that raises money basically from alumni to be able to pay players and disguise it as marketing opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4592914\/rubio-grilled-trump-national-security-pick-foreign-policy-priorities\/\">RUBIO GRILLED OVER TRUMP\u2019S NATIONAL SECURITY PICKS AND FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES: \u2018IT\u2019S NOT FUNNY, SECRETARY\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cruz and Cantwell\u2019s bill would also include protections for NIL for student-athletes, a one-time transfer standard, protections against midseason coach transitions, and the creation of a student-athlete ombudsman position for oversight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also aims to tackle the imbalances between the wealthiest conferences, such as the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten, and the rest of the nation\u2019s athletic conferences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nick Saban warns NCAA is speeding toward collapse, backs bill<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2610209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26065767532207.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[35616,9333,59943,80780,3834],"class_list":["post-2610208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-college-football","tag-ncaa","tag-nick-saban","tag-revenue-reform","tag-spending"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26065767532207.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2610208"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2610212,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610208\/revisions\/2610212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2610209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2610208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2610208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2610208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}