SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey addressed multiple issues concerning the future of college sports, including collective bargaining, revenue sharing, and legal challenges. Sankey emphasized that he has not encountered student athletes wanting to be taxed like employees, suggesting that employment status might not be necessary for collective bargaining. He also highlighted the potential for Congress to use the structure of recent House settlements to enact legislation that strengthens college sports, advocating for national standards. On the topic of lawsuits, Sankey expressed his disapproval, specifically mentioning the Jaden Rashada case against Florida and Billy Napier. He acknowledged the evolving landscape of college sports and the need for clear enforcement mechanisms to reduce chaos moving forward. Regarding NIL collectives, Sankey remained noncommittal, indicating that the situation needs to play out further. Sankey noted there is an opportunity here, yes, but kept certain terms confidential.
Sankey asked if he thinks there's a path forward here as the House settlement gets ironed out to move forward without employee status and collective bargaining: "I'm not a prophet, but there's an opportunity here, yes."
Greg Sankey was asked about enforcement moving forward and whether he thinks the settlement might allow for avoiding people suing over rules they don't agree with when they're enforced. Tl:dr - There's hope for this and options on how to make things less chaotic moving forward.
Greg Sankey on Jaden Rashada's lawsuit: “I’m not a fan of lawsuits. That’s what I think. It's not the only lawsuit involving a coach in the last year. It won’t be the last. We have a legal system and people have a right to pursue what they view as grievances.”