Andy Staples asked a politicially connected Florida dude how the state could exact meaningful revenge on the suits running college football. The answer is pretty impressive.
To figure out what Florida leaders could do if they actually wanted to hit back at the people who run the CFP, I called someone uniquely qualified for this task. Corey Staniscia was the chief of staff for state Rep. Chip LaMarca when LaMarca led the charge for a name, image and likeness rights bill in Florida. Staniscia is now a lobbyist, but since NIL came into existence in 2021 — thanks to Florida and its decision to pass a bill with the earliest effective date — Staniscia also has moved into the NIL space. He’s the director of Fowler Avenue, the collective that serves USF sports. So he knows Florida politics and college sports as each exist in 2023.
What would Staniscia do if he were advising Florida legislators? He’d tell them to draft a bill that would make it illegal in the state for the schools to make rules to keep bowl games from sharing money with the players. In other words, the Orange, Citrus, Gator, Pop-Tarts and Gasparilla Bowls would be allowed to pay the players. It’s the leak in the dam that would lead to full-on revenue sharing with the schools themselves. Or, if they really want to shake the tree, Florida legislators can pass a bill that also allows schools in Florida to make name, image and likeness deals with their own athletes.
That second suggestion would codify the suggestion NCAA president Charlie Baker made last week in a move that blindsided the conference commissioners and athletic directors. It just wouldn’t be coming in the way Baker wants. Baker wants the U.S. congress to extend antitrust protection to the NCAA and schools and write into law that athletes aren’t employees. These are pipe dreams that the schools will never get.
As Staples writes, “Staniscia knows the thing college conference commissioners fear most is sharing more money with players”. In college football, hitting them in the wallet is always effective. Alas, all Florida pols are really interested in doing is making the empty gesture. Too bad. I’d love to see the reaction they’d get striking back like that.
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