As Congress debates college sports, athletes-turned-senators have a seat at the table

WASHINGTON — The Senate is poised to pass the Protect College Sports Act, major legislation aimed at addressing what supporters call chaos in Division I athletics, including ballooning athlete pay, unlimited transfers, and litigation over eligibility. At least half a dozen sitting senators are former NCAA Division I athletes, including Alabama Republican Tommy Tuberville, a former football coach at Auburn and other universities, whose experiences are shaping the debate over the bill. The legislation would regulate name-image-likeness payments and transfer rules that have transformed college sports since the NCAA's amateurism rules began eroding a decade ago following litigation by former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon.