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)
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“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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The New York Mets have reportedly made a big addition to their lineup.
The Mets and Bo Bichette are in agreement on a three-year, $126 million contract on Friday, according to multiple reports. After falling short in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, who reportedly signed a whopping four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets pivoted to Bichette.
The deal includes opt-outs after both the first and second seasons of the contract, according to multiple reports.
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Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Bo Bichette (11) runs after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning during Game 7 of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. The game was played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Nov. 1, 2025. (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images)
Bichette, 27, had a good season for the Toronto Blue Jays last season, hitting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI in 135 games. He sustained a knee injury in September during a collision at home plate and missed the remainder of the regular season, the ALDS and ALCS.
He returned in the World Series and was a big contributor to the Blue Jays, who were just two outs away from winning it all. In seven World Series games, Bichette hit .348 with one home run and six RBI.
However, during the World Series, he moved off his normal position of shortstop and manned second base, because of his limited mobility with the injury. Bichette graded out poorly as a defensive shortstop regardless, and it does not appear that the Mets signed him to play shortstop, as they have Francisco Lindor there currently, who is a good defender.
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Bo Bichette (11) of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a two-RBI single in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium. The game was played in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Harry How/Getty Images)
The Mets acquired Marcus Semien to play second base from the Texas Rangers earlier in the offseason, and he won a Gold Glove last season. With Semien and Lindor seemingly locked into second base and shortstop, respectively, it appears the Mets signed Bichette to play third base.
Bichette has never played third base in his professional career. If the Mets do indeed try Bichette at third base, it would mean their corner infielders could be making their professional debuts at their respective positions.
The Mets signed Jorge Polanco earlier this offseason to be their first baseman, despite him having never played there in his big-league career.
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Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette watches his three-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning of Game 7 of baseball’s World Series. The game was played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Regardless of how the Mets align their infield, Bichette is a major boost to the top of their lineup. In seven seasons, Bichette is a career .294 hitter with 111 home runs and 437 RBI, along with 60 stolen bases.
The top of the Mets lineup will look very different next season with the additions of Bichette and Semien, along with mainstays Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil all having departed in free agency or via trade.
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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced that the 11th season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will kick off on Thursday, March 26, featuring eight teams following the inclusion of two new franchises.
The date was decided during the meeting of PSL Governing Council convened at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Friday evening to finalise preparations for the upcoming season, according to a press release issued by the cricket board.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi chaired the meeting, which was attended by representatives of all eight PSL franchises, along with PCB and PSL officials.
The council welcomed the new team owners of Sialkot and Hyderabad to the PSL family and congratulated the board and league officials on the successful conclusion of the new teams auction.
The two new PSL franchises were acquired by FKS Group and OZ Developers for a whopping Rs1.75 billion and Rs1.85 billion, respectively.
Detailed discussions during the meeting covered the schedule of PSL 11, player retentions, the adoption of the player auction or a hybrid format called ‘drauction’, and the option of opening direct signings.
It was confirmed that PSL 11 will kick off on Thursday, 26 March, ushering in a new era for the league.
The meeting concluded with the formation of a working group set to convene on Saturday to deliberate further on remaining agenda items. The governing council will reconvene immediately as required to finalise decisions.
The PSL, which began in 2016 with five teams and expanded to six in 2018, further grown with the addition of two new franchises in its 11th edition.
PSL 2026 matches will be hosted in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, and, for the first time, Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, marking the venue’s debut as a PSL host city.
Amid the wild west of NIL money and transfers, college football is attracting viewership unmatched in its history.
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