The Protect College Sports Act and the Future of the NCAA
With the U.S. Senate returning from recess, only several days remain to pass the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act before the legislative window closes. Introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz, Maria Cantwell, Eric Schmitt, and Chris Coons, the bill has gained critical momentum with endorsements from the SEC, Big Ten, and 28 athletic conferences. However, its enactment hangs in the balance as lawmakers weigh labor neutrality, antitrust scope, and House reconciliation hurdles.
This timely webinar evaluates whether codifying national Name, Image, and Likeness standards and limited antitrust exemptions stabilizes higher education or entrenches institutional control. Panelists will analyze federal overrides of state laws, eligibility and single-transfer rules, and statutory safeguards for women’s and Olympic sports among other topics.
The session will also examine the bill’s doubling of the revenue-share cap—debating whether enforcing a statutory ceiling preserves competitive equity or limits the ability of the majority of schools to compete. Finally, experts will break down immediate post-vote realities if the bill passes before the clock runs out versus strategic next steps if Congress stalls. CLOSED CAPTION FEATURE AVAILABLE FOR ALL WEBINARS |
MEET OUR MODERATOR AND PANELISTS |
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AMANDA CHRISTOVICH, Reporter, Front Office Sports. Her work has previously appeared in USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal. Christovich covers the business of the sports industry with a specific focus on college sports, reporting and writing on breaking news, scoops, features and investigations. She leads industry coverage of multiple topics including name, image, and likeness, athlete employment/compensation legal issues, and NCAA gender equity. Her work has been cited/featured in multiple news outlets including The Athletic, CBS Sports, and On3. Christovich regularly appears on radio shows and podcasts across the country, including NPR, local ESPN affiliates, and SEC Network. She holds a M.S. in Journalism from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in English from Georgetown University.
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BRIAN BARRIO, Director of Athletics, Florida Gulf Coast University. Florida Gulf Coast University named Barrio as Director of Athletics on July 2, 2026. Barrio brings over 20 years of intercollegiate athletics experience, including more than five years as an NCAA Division I Director of Athletics. Previously, Barrio served as Athletic Director at UMBC (2020–2024), where he achieved record corporate sponsorship revenue, back-to-back fundraising milestones, and a $5 million arena naming rights deal. Under his leadership, UMBC teams secured 11 America East Conference titles while reaching record departmental GPAs and 10 perfect NCAA Academic Progress Rate scores. Prior to UMBC, Barrio led Central Connecticut State University’s athletics program (2018–2020), securing seven Northeast Conference titles and boosting departmental fundraising by 40% in his first year. Barrio holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of California-Hastings College of the Law and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College.
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BEN LACOURSE, Attorney, Christine Brown & Partners. Ben LaCourse is an attorney at Christine Brown & Partners specializing in sports law and college athletics governance. He previously served in NCAA compliance at Iowa State University and the University of Oklahoma, where he managed NIL implementation and advised coaches, administrators, and college athletes on eligibility, amateurism, and compliance matters. His legal background also encompasses private practice experience across transactional and litigation cases. A former Division I soccer player, LaCourse combines athletic experience with expertise in NCAA regulations and institutional decision-making. He serves on the Oral Roberts University Sports Management Advisory Board and is admitted to the New York and Oklahoma Bar Associations. LaCourse earned a J.D. with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law and a B.S. in Sports Management from Oral Roberts University. |
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FRANK HAWKINS, Attorney, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, is a nationally recognized sports executive with over 30 years of experience. Hawkins’ career is highlighted by 15 years in senior leadership at the NFL, where he served as Senior Vice President of Business Affairs. In that role, Hawkins acted as principal counsel for the league’s broadcasting and finance committees, serving as a staff architect for landmark television agreements and the G-3 stadium financing program. A specialist in media strategy and governance, Hawkins co-founded Scalar Media Partners, advising international sports organizations and college athletics programs on labor, media, technology and sponsorship models. Beyond his legal practice, Hawkins spent nine years teaching at NYU’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport and remains a prominent lecturer. At Shumaker, Hawkins leverages this deep expertise to help clients navigate the complex and evolving intersections of sports, media, and technology.
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ETIENNE THOMAS, Deputy Athletics Director for Internal Affairs and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA). Etienne Thomas returns to her alma mater, North Carolina Central University (NCCU), as Deputy Athletics Director for Internal Affairs and SWA, bringing over two decades of athletic administration experience. She previously served NCCU from 2008 to 2017 as Associate and Senior Associate AD. Thomas most recently served as Director of Athletics at Winston-Salem State University (2020–2025), where the Rams captured five CIAA championships, increased alumni engagement, and boosted fundraising for facility upgrades and corporate partnerships. Previously, as AD at Kentucky State University (2018–2019), she launched a men's volleyball program and drove significant fundraising growth. Her career also includes serving as Associate AD for Student Life at the University of Kansas. A 1996 NCCU graduate, Thomas completed JD coursework at the University of Iowa College of Law and is an alumna of the NCAA Fellows Program. She holds memberships in NACDA, NAAC, Women Leaders in Sports, and the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association.
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The Drake Group Education Fund Video Library CLICK HERE to see the table of contents of The Drake Group Education Fund Video Library for recordings of all 53 previous webinars including the full proceedings of the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 Allen Sack National Symposia. |
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The Drake Group Education Fund Inc. (TDGEF), is a national nonprofit organization operating through a fiscal sponsorship with Players Philanthropy Fund, a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions TDGEF are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. The Drake Group Education Fund's mission is to ensure that the promise of college athletics is realized for all stakeholders. TDGEF produces The Allen Sack National Symposium on Integrity in College Sports and the Critical Issues in College Sports Webinar Series, conducts fact-based research on intercollegiate athletics and develops position papers and other educational materials that influence public discourse on current issues and controversies in college sport. Copyright: CC BY-NC-ND |
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