Why efforts to end the sick college sports money grab are in danger as midterms loom

Pressure is growing on Capitol Hill to focus on bipartisan legislation to reform college sports – but sources question whether congressional leaders can muster enough votes to pass a bill after Tuesday’s midterms, On The Money has learned.That pressure is being applied by a powerful force: Randy Levine, president of the New York Yankees and vice chair of President Trump’s Roundtable on Fixing College Sports and his fellow members.They have been doing yeoman’s work trying to reform the insane and pernicious money grab that has engulfed college sports.Now he’s trying one more push to get the bill – which has already passed the Senate with bipartisan votes led by GOP Sen.

Ted Cruz of Texas and Democrat Sen.Maria Cantwell of Washington – to President Trump’s desk.It won’t be easy because, let’s face it, nothing is easy in DC these days given the partisan political climate.

There’s also the lobbying operation mounted by certain interested parties to kill reform efforts.If you have been reading this column, you know the reforms began with Trump earlier in the year appointing Levine along with Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis to lead a blue-ribbon panel that made recommendations to Congress to reform the business side of college sports – which has gotten crazy following court ruling over what’s known as the  “Name, Image and Likeness” (NIL)  system.Schools have since been diverting resources including donor money from academic pursuits, Olympic and women’s sports so they can woo college football and basketball stars with massive, pro-like endorsements and other deals.You would think this is an easy lift for House Speaker Mike Johnson, the Republican from Louisiana, and Dem House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: President Trump wants it done and so do many prominent Democrats.

There’s a carveout for Historically Black Colleges – so-called HBCU’s — to get additional money for under-funded programs.Student athletes are generally in favor ...