Report: SEC leads all Power 5 conferences in spending money on lobbyists in Congress
By Adam Spencer
Published:
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.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
