Statement from Amy Privette Perko, CEO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics about potential federal legislation for college sports, September 14, 2026
The Knight Commission supports policy reforms that promote the education, health, safety and well-being of college athletes and will bring stability and certainty to college sports consistent with the educational mission of colleges and universities.
Improving the representation of college athletes in national and conference governance remains a central Commission priority. Athlete participation in decision-making should include meaningful representation and voting authority not only at the NCAA level but also within the governance of the College Football Playoff (CFP). As a separate entity with control over FBS football’s championship structure and the flow of more than $1 billion in annual revenue distributions, the CFP makes decisions that directly shape football athletes’ experiences.
The Commission’s independent national survey of presidents and athletics directors last fall revealed overwhelming support for federal action to establish national standards on athlete NIL compensation. Campus leaders expressed near-unanimous commitment to the academic mission of college sports and were deeply concerned about the financial sustainability of their athletics programs, current college athlete transfer rules, and unprecedented changes they fear will harm women’s and collegiate Olympic sports.
Commission resources on proposed federal legislation are available here.
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