Former NFL and college football player Cody Campbell has voiced concerns over the challenges currently facing college sports, describing them as complex issues that go beyond name, image, and license agreements (NIL) and the transfer portal.
Campbell, who is a board member of the Texas Public Policy Foundation and a distinguished fellow at the America First Policy Institute, emphasized the need for comprehensive federal legislation. He stated, “Saving college sports this time will require comprehensive federal legislation that touches some of the most complex areas of law.” He also highlighted an opportunity for Congress and the Trump administration to demonstrate leadership in sustaining intercollegiate athletics for another 120 years.
According to Campbell, reform should occur at the federal level to override state laws. He said, “A truly sustainable solution will pre-empt the tangle of state laws and address antitrust issues regarding both labor and media (including possible amendment of the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961) to stop the onslaught of litigation. They must allow the business side of college sports to operate effectively and resolve a litany of employment-related issues." Additionally, he called for leaders to confront implications related to Title IX and protect athletes from predatory actors.
Campbell stressed that solutions should not focus solely on prominent programs but include all Football Championship Subdivision schools. "All these institutions and the communities they’re in will be profoundly affected, both economically and culturally, by whatever solutions emerge," he noted.
In conclusion, Campbell urged finding a balance that respects traditional structures while acknowledging modern commercial realities. “It should be the goal to find a middle path that preserves the benefits of the legacy structure,” he said.
Campbell expressed optimism about saving college sports by approaching challenges with what Teddy Roosevelt described as "courage, in a spirit of fair dealing, with sanity and common sense."
