Inside Trump's college sports lobbying push

President Donald Trump has recently become heavily involved in efforts to pass the Senate's bipartisan college sports bill. He has been actively working to secure support from senators, even enlisting former Alabama football coach Nick Saban to contact undecided lawmakers. Trump's interest in college sports goes beyond his normal political involvement, as he sees it as a way to leave his mark on the multibillion-dollar industry and support a former rival in Texas, Senator Ted Cruz.

This bill aims to establish a national framework for college athletic deals, addressing legal chaos in the system and avoiding taking a clear stance on whether student-athletes are employees. The legislation has bipartisan support, coming from negotiations led by Cruz, Schmitt, and Senator Maria Cantwell. If passed, it could be one of Trump's biggest legislative achievements and a significant accomplishment for this Congress.

Trump has enlisted the help of prominent sports figures, including Saban, New York Yankees President Randy Levine, and college athletic conference commissioners. However, the bill still faces some challenges. One example is Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who has concerns about the bill's impact on his state's colleges if they switch conferences. Trump has been actively working to address these concerns and encourage lawmakers to see the bigger picture.

Democrats have leverage to negotiate concessions or block the bill if they don't want to give Trump a legislative win before the election. Nonetheless, securing the necessary Republican support appears to be the biggest hurdle for the bill's passage.