Deion Sanders at odds with athlete advocates, Black leaders on Protect College Sports Act

Deion Sanders, a former football coach and current public figure, has recently become a strong supporter of the Protect College Sports Act. In a political advertisement, Sanders stated that the legislation "keeps men's and women's sports strong" and "strengthens Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)." Sanders, who is 59 years old and has a background as an HBCU coach, is one of only 14 Black head coaches out of 138 in major college football.

He has also previously advocated for expanded rights for college athletes. The Protect College Sports Act is a bipartisan bill currently pending in the U.S. Congress, which aims to provide an antitrust exemption to stabilize college sports after several years of upheaval, including unlimited annual player transfers and the high costs related to paying players.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban is another supporter of the bill. However, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, athletes' rights groups, and HBCU leaders oppose the legislation for various reasons. The NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus argue that the bill only offers "vague promises" to HBCUs and that it gives too much power to colleges and the NCAA while capping player pay.

Athletes' advocates also oppose the bill, citing that it gives too much power to colleges and the NCAA while limiting player freedom. HBCU leaders appreciate the bill's support for long-term improvements to their broadband, information, and media infrastructure, but they stress that the funding is only authorized, not guaranteed, and would require a future Congress to appropriate the money.