Conference Commissioners Speak Out On Why Congress Needs To Regulate NIL In New College Athletics Era

Just what we need… More big daddy government!

Commissioners of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC conferences took part in an interview Thursday with Fox News host Bret Baier, and the four are pushing for more regulation and government intervention when it comes to name, image and likeness (NIL).

Currently, leaders in the college realm are in a waiting process when it comes to a California judge possibly approving changes that have been made to a potential settlement. But while that’s going on, commissioners and athletic directors took a visit Wednesday to Washington D.C. to meet up with Congress. Or should we say, partake in some good ol’ fashioned lobbying.

What officials are looking for are federal guidelines for NIL as we move closer to college athletics being involved with revenue-sharing.

In an interview with Bret Baier, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yorkmark, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey talked about the “future of college sports,” and why a standard is needed for the entire country.

“The volume of laws being passed on the state level is making it very difficult for us to regulate and compete nationally,” said Petitti. “Every single time someone doesn’t like a ruling coming from the NCAA, we end up in litigation. Those rules then get abrogated, and then we’re back to the start. We’re hopeful that what we’ve done with the settlement, and the case being done now will give us an opportunity, with some help from Congress, to really put a system in place that has some stability.” (RELATED: Auburn’s Bruce Pearl Named U.S. Israel Education Association Chairman)

Sankey pointed out that 50 states with 50 different sets of laws won’t work in college athletics.

“To have a College World Series, to have a College Football Playoff, to have national championships, you have to have national standards,” said Sankey. “The system doesn’t work with 50 different approaches, which is what’s happening through state laws being produced and adopted. We also face a variety of litigation efforts, and those need to settle out.”

Yorkmark said that governing NIL is “critically important.”

“From where I sit today, federal preemption, having a standardized platform that oversees and governs NIL is critically important,” said Yormark. “Today, 34 states see it differently, and it’s relatively unruly.”

Phillips kept his thoughts short and sweet.

“We need the help of Congress and national legislation.”

Conference commissioners make their case with @BretBaier why congress is needed to regulate NIL, other rules.

“To have a College World Series, have a College Football Playoff, have national championships, you have to have national standards”-Greg Sankey https://t.co/L9vxVGv3Yw

— OutKick (@Outkick) April 11, 2025

I get why commissioners want regulation, but let’s be honest, anything the government touches turns to … well … you know.