Future Forum Urges House Leadership to Take Action to Protect and Support Student Athletes
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Future Forum Caucus sent a letter to House leadership and the leaders of the Energy and Commerce and Education and Workforce Committees expressing concerns over the rights, protections, and compensation of student athletes. They call for the passage of legislation to provide comprehensive protections for players, especially legislation that empowers college athletes to generate compensation over the use of their own name, image, and likeness (NIL).
“Of all operating expenses for Division I athletic departments, only 15% was spent on athletics related student aid, and 1% spent on student athlete medical expenses. This leaves student athletes at a financial disadvantage, despite their central role in increasing the popularity of college sports and the heavy physical and academic requirements placed on them as student athletes,” wrote the members. “One way to offset this financial disadvantage is to ensure any federal legislation meant to protect athletes enshrines broad NIL protections. Legislation should also strengthen Title IX to ensure institutions cannot artificially overcount women and ensure that college athletes are eligible for fair compensation, the right to collective bargaining, insurance coverage for athletics-related medical expenses, more robust health and safety standards, and greater transfer freedoms.”
As the youngest members of Congress, Future Forum members are committed to bringing the voices of their young constituents to the halls of Congress, and this includes thousands of student athletes across the country. Future Forum member Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), the only former Division I woman athlete in Congress, played college volleyball at Georgetown University and has spearheaded the introduction of legislation to protect college athletes’ NIL rights and close Title IX loopholes that hurt women athletes.
The text of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, Chair McMorris Rodgers, Ranking Member Pallone, Chair Foxx, and Ranking Member Scott,
As members of the Future Forum Caucus, we write to express our concern with the current situation facing student athletes. Each year, colleges and universities generate billions in revenue from athletic activities; however, in many cases, college athletes are the last to benefit from these growing profits. To ensure these students fairly benefit from the hard work and academic commitment that is required to participate in college athletics, we urge you to consider legislation that provides more comprehensive protections for players, especially legislation that empowers college athletes to generate compensation over the use of their own name, image, and likeness (NIL).
College athletics have experienced explosive growth in recent years. Women’s college athletics have grown tremendously, as evidenced by a new record set in 2023 by the Nebraska Cornhuskers Women’s Volleyball Team for attendance at a women's sporting event, as well as a 16% increase in the total number of student-athletes competing in women's sports over the last 10 years. For the 2021-2022 school year, colleges and universities generated $16.6 billion in revenue from athletic activities.
Sadly, student athletes have benefited little from this growth. Of all operating expenses for Division I athletic departments, only 15% was spent on athletics related student aid, and 1% spent on student athlete medical expenses. This leaves student athletes at a financial disadvantage, despite their central role in increasing the popularity of college sports and the heavy physical and academic requirements placed on them as student athletes. One way to offset this financial disadvantage is to ensure any federal legislation meant to protect athletes enshrines broad NIL protections. Legislation should also strengthen Title IX to ensure institutions cannot artificially overcount women and ensure that college athletes are eligible for fair compensation, the right to collective bargaining, insurance coverage for athletics-related medical expenses, more robust health and safety standards, and greater transfer freedoms.
The success and popularity of college sports is due to the hard work and dedication of college athletes. We respectfully request you consider legislation that protects their interests and well-being by encouraging their ability to engage in NIL agreements, in addition to the other protections cited.
Sincerely,
Future Forum Caucus Members