Sports
SCORE Act receives support from over 20 conservative groups as NIL reform fight revs up
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More than 20 conservative organizations expressed support for the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act, according to a letter addressed to House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., obtained by Fox News Digital.
The SCORE Act would give the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption in hopes of protecting the NCAA from potential lawsuits over eligibility rules and would prohibit athletes from becoming employees of their schools.
“The SCORE Act is the free market, individual liberty, limited government fix to the “name, image, and likeness (NIL)” issue in college athletics,” the letter read.
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Duke center Patrick Ngongba (21) shoots against Arkansas forward Malique Ewin (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic tournament Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
“In 2021, the NCAA v. Alston case before the Supreme Court resulted in schools gaining freedom to offer additional education-related benefits to students, which set the stage for an expansion of NIL rights. In the years since, a patchwork of confusing state laws have been enacted, which cry out for a federal solution to create unified NIL rules that are consistent for everyone.”
The groups in favor of the SCORE Act said the bill is the “common-sense way” to establish rules and preempt confusing state laws in the NIL era.
“H.R. 4312 prohibits trial lawyers from suing under federal or state antitrust law. It also provides that athletes receiving NIL compensation need not be employees of these universities, protecting them from compulsory unionization. This means student-athletes can be treated as small business owners, not unionized workers,” the letter added.
The conservative groups framed the SCORE Act as being a better plan than the “Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act,” which has mostly been backed by Democrats. The SCORE Act has at least scored some bipartisanship support in the House.
The SAFE Act proposes to rewrite the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act to allow conferences to pool media rights. Supporters say it could inject billions into college sports.
North Carolina State’s Caden Fordham (1) celebrates after a sack of North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez (not shown) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Raleigh, North Carolina, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
SEN JOHN THUNE OFFERS POTENTIAL SOLUTION FOR NIL REFORM: ‘LIKE THE NFL WITHOUT A CONTRACT’
“The Left’s proposed framework to regulate NIL would be a disaster. Known as the “SAFE Act,” it would open the door for trial lawyers to frivolously sue athletic departments and conferences,” the conservative groups said. “It could also require student-athletes to be classified as employees, forcing many of them into unions, using merely the predicate of NIL compensation.
“Bizarrely, the SAFE Act would also create a socialized college sports media contract, imposing a national government board to negotiate for all colleges. Washington bureaucrats should not be in the business of negotiating sports television and streaming rights.”
Leaders from the Center for a Free Economy, 60 Plus Association, Constitutional Rights PAC, Parkview Institute, DL Maradona Foundation, US Policy, Southeast Texans for Liberty, National Taxpayers Union, Family Business Coalition, Frontiers of Freedom, Tradition, Family, Property, Founding Principles Coalition, America First PACT, American Commitment, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Southwest Public Policy Center, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Inventor’s Project, Gator PAC and Committee to Unleash Prosperity.
“Thirty-one Division I athletic conferences with wide-ranging membership, from schools with small budgets to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), have publicly endorsed the SCORE Act as the solution to protecting opportunities for student-athletes. The path forward is clear. We urge you to support the SCORE Act and oppose the Big Government SAFE Act,” the letter read.
The SCORE Act calls on schools to share revenue, per terms of the House settlement to the tune of 22% “if such rules provide that such pool limit is AT LEAST 22 percent of the average annual college sports revenue of the 70 highest-earning schools.”
Sen. Ted Cruz has been in support of the SCORE Act. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
The SCORE Act prohibits schools from using student fees to fund NIL payments.
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The bill was introduced back in July and received support from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Adidas announced the release of the “U.S. denim jersey” on Monday, a throwback-inspired shirt that’s reminiscent of the classic away tops worn by the United States men’s national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Featuring the iconic washed-denim look adorned with quintessentially ’90s stars, the jersey arrives just ahead of the U.S. hosting the World Cup for a second time this summer, alongside Mexico and Canada as co-hosts.
“With the U.S. Denim jersey, we set out to capture the side of American soccer that has always been distinctive and original,” said Inigo Turner, design director at Adidas football. “This design leans into that spirit with bold graphics, fearless color and a belief that the game here should look and feel like it belongs to the people.”
The full U.S. denim collection by Adidas also includes denim shorts with a star motif, a denim track top with paneling, and a denim cap with star details.
Calling back to the legends who donned the memorable 1994 tops, promotional photos include former USMNT standouts such as Cobi Jones and Alexi Lalas. The collection will be available for purchase from Adidas on March 10.
Speaking of inspiration from the 1994 World Cup, and in contrast to the denim away jersey, the red-and-white striped home kit from that tournament may be what Nike designers looked to for the upcoming home jerseys for this year’s World Cup.
Although no kits for the USMNT have yet to be unveiled, a post on social media went viral over the weekend after a local grocer displayed a red-and-white striped kit for the U.S.
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The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly set to bolster their defensive line with an intriguing trade involving the Green Bay Packers on Monday.
The Cowboys agreed to acquire Pro Bowl defensive tackle Rashan Gary for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports. The deal comes as the team lost out on trying to acquire Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. He was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens last week.
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Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Rashan Gary (52) during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on Nov. 23, 2025. (Jeff Hanisch/Imagn Images)
The Packers selected Gary with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2019 draft out of Michigan. He improved dramatically over the course of seven seasons as he started out as a defensive end, moved to linebacker and then back to the defensive line.
Gary was a Pro Bowl selection in 2024 when he had 7.5 sacks, 47 tackles and a fumble recovery in 17 games. In 2025, Gary played in 16 games. He had 7.5 sacks, 45 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary (52) celebrates after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Nov. 17, 2024. (Daniel Bartel/Imagn Images)
He signed a four-year contract extension with the Packers during the 2023 season. He will be owed $18 million in 2026 and $21 million in 2027.
Dallas was 7-9-1 in the first season with Brian Schottenheimer as the head coach. The team’s defense was shaken up before the season began when the team traded Micah Parsons to the Packers.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 26, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
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The Cowboys were 32nd in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed during the 2025 season.
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Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said the club’s president Joan Laporta scuppered the return of all-time great Lionel Messi in 2023 to avoid a power struggle.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner left Barca for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and then two years later moved to MLS side Inter Miami.
“Leo was signed, in January 2023 after winning the World Cup, we got in touch and he told me he wanted to come back,” Xavi told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia late on Sunday.
“We had the green light from La Liga (financially), but it was the president who threw it away…
“Laporta told me, word for word, that if Leo came back he was going to wage war against him and that he couldn’t allow that. And then suddenly Leo stopped answering my calls because he’d been told that it couldn’t be done.”
Xavi said everything was ready for Messi’s return, there was “no doubt” in a football sense and “we were going to do a last dance, like (former NBA star Michael) Jordan’s”.
Laporta, who resigned as president a few weeks ago to run for re-election this week, suggested Monday former coach Xavi was bitter and said Messi’s father and agent Jorge had told him the superstar had decided not to come back.
“With Xavi I saw we were going to lose and with (current coach Hansi) Flick that we will win,” Laporta said at a presidential debate Monday.
“I understand that (Xavi) is hurt — with the same players Flick wins.”
Laporta said he sent a contract to Jorge Messi who later came to his house and told him that “here there would be too much pressure” if the forward returned.
Messi is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals and won a club-record 34 trophies at Camp Nou.
Laporta also claimed Barca rejected a 250 million euro ($288 million) offer from PSG for teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, reported to have been made in the summer of 2024.
Adidas salutes USMNT’s 1994 World Cup run with denim jersey
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