Staff Reports
College sports are at a crossroads. New York Yankees President Randy Levine joined Greg Kelly to make a simple, old-fashioned case: we should protect college athletes and the game itself from being swallowed by suits, agents, and woke policy experiments. Below, I explain why the Protect College Sports Act matters — and why conservatives should be loud and clear in defending amateurism, opportunity, and fairness.
Why the Protect College Sports Act deserves attention
The phrase “college sports” should mean students playing for their school, not a shadow market run by agents and big-name brands. The Protect College Sports Act aims to push back on the chaos that exploded after NIL rules changed. It seeks to keep athletic opportunity tied to education, not just to who can cut the biggest deal. Fans, families, and the kids themselves need clarity and protection — not another scramble for who pays most.
Randy Levine’s plain-spoken warning
Randy Levine, as New York Yankees President, knows sports are businesses that depend on fans believing the game matters. On Greg Kelly’s show he warned that without guardrails, college athletics will drift into pure commerce — where small schools drown and athletes are treated as products. Call it nostalgia if you like, but Levine’s point is practical: strong rules keep the playing field fair and keep opportunities alive for more kids, not just the elite few.
What’s at stake: athletes, schools, and fair play
If policy favors the richest programs and outside money, mid-major schools and lesser-known athletes lose out. That means fewer scholarships, fewer chances to attend class on a coach’s promise, and more pressure to chase deals over degrees. The Protect College Sports Act tries to protect the values that made college sports a ladder up for many working-class families. That ladder weakens when money replaces merit and education.
Conservatives should lead, not watch
Conservatives pride themselves on backing opportunity, not rent-seeking. This issue is a perfect fit: support common-sense limits that protect athletes and keep colleges focused on education. The right answer is not to turn athletes into permanent pros or to let outside interests run the show. It is to defend the amateur model while modernizing transparency and athlete protections — so every student has a real chance to succeed on the field and in life.
The Protect College Sports Act is not the last word, but it is a step back toward sane rules that favor students over suits. If you care about fair play, meaningful opportunities, and the future of college athletics, this is the fight to join. And if the Yankees’ boss is willing to step into the ring for this, maybe the rest of us should stop watching from the cheap seats.
