Senators Grapple with College Sports Pay Debate

Experts and lawmakers discuss the complex issues around compensating student-athletes

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A U.S. Senate panel held a roundtable discussion on the ongoing debate over compensation for student-athletes. Senators and experts agreed the current system is not working, but had differing ideas on the path forward. The conversation touched on issues like name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, the NCAA's transfer portal, and whether student-athletes should be classified as employees.

Why it matters

The debate over compensating student-athletes has major implications for the future of college sports. As the NCAA's rules around NIL deals continue to evolve, and courts rule on the employment status of athletes, lawmakers are grappling with how to create a fair and sustainable system that protects both the athletes and the universities.

The details

The Senate panel, led by Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, heard from a range of experts including representatives from Louisiana State University. The discussion covered topics like the potential impacts of classifying student-athletes as employees, the need for a national framework around NIL deals, and calls for more direct negotiations between schools and athletes. Senators expressed differing views, with Democrats pushing for more athlete empowerment through collective bargaining, while Republicans have backed bills that would provide antitrust protections for the NCAA.

  • The Senate panel discussion took place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
  • Last week, the White House hosted a roundtable on college sports where President Donald Trump pledged to issue an executive order on the issue.
  • In June 2025, a federal judge approved a nearly $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that paved the way for schools to directly pay athletes.

The players

Sen. Bill Cassidy

A Louisiana Republican and chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, who hosted the roundtable discussion.

Collis Temple Jr.

A member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and former basketball star at the university, who participated in the panel.

Julie Cromer

The executive deputy athletic director and chief operating officer for LSU Athletics, who also participated in the panel.

Jim Carr

The president and CEO of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, who spoke about the implications of student-athletes becoming employees.

Sen. Chris Murphy

A Connecticut Democrat who called for collective bargaining to empower athletes to negotiate with colleges.

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What they’re saying

“Our effort will be, what do we do to protect the student-athlete?”

— Sen. Bill Cassidy (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

“The implications of student-athletes becoming employees, or a lot of these court decisions that are making it difficult to enforce our rules around what we call education-based athletics, is really — I don't think it's an overstatement or being too dramatic to say — critical to not only the NAIA but each of our institutions being able to stay in business on a long-term basis.”

— Jim Carr, President and CEO, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

“We should just empower the colleges or the conferences and the athletes to have a conversation between themselves.”

— Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

What’s next

The bipartisan bill aimed at creating a national framework for college athlete compensation is still pending in the U.S. House, while facing an uncertain future in the Senate.

The takeaway

The debate over compensating student-athletes highlights the complex and evolving landscape of college sports. As lawmakers and experts grapple with issues like employment status, NIL deals, and the role of the NCAA, finding a balanced solution that protects both the athletes and the universities will be crucial for the future of college athletics.