Report: SEC leads all Power 5 conferences in spending money on lobbyists in Congress
It appears big changes will soon come to the NCAA, as the organization is easing restrictions on players earning money for their names, images and likenesses.
This is a topic that could carry into Congress, and the Power 5 conferences want to be prepared for a fight on Capitol Hill should it come to that.
According to an Associated Press report, the SEC is the leading spender for lobbyists, spending $140,000 during the first 3 months of 2020:
The Southeastern Conference was the biggest spender, hiring three lobbying firms and paying them a total of $140,000, according to lobbying disclosure forms reviewed by The Associated Press.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey issued a statement to the AP to weigh in on the money spent:
“It is important for the SEC to have a voice in this national dialogue,” Sankey said. “We look forward to a constructive exchange of ideas about ways we can further enhance our student-athletes’ educational and athletic experiences while ensuring that any future changes can be administered fairly on a national level.”
Last year, the NCAA spent a total of $450,000 on lobbying, per the AP report.