While ESPN is taking heat from critics online for its nine-minute interview with Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) on College GameDay Saturday morning, a source familiar with the network’s thinking told Front Office Sports it was an “easy decision to have him join” the show.
Cruz was already going to be in Austin for the game, and expressed interest in going on GameDay to discuss the legislation, the source told FOS. ESPN felt bringing Cruz on was timely and made sense given that GameDay was in his home state, according to the source. He sat for a one-on-one chat with host Rece Davis to talk about the Protect College Sports Act that is slated for a full Senate vote this month, potentially as early as next week. Cruz, a sponsor of the bill that is also backed by President Donald Trump, was booed repeatedly by the fans in attendance at GameDay.
Last week, Nick Saban, a national spokesman for the act, and fellow GameDay analyst Pat McAfee voiced their support for the federal legislation during a discussion about LSU potentially rostering former NFL players.
No opponents of the Protect College Sports Act have been interviewed on GameDay so far this season, or any major ESPN programs. Notable opponents of the bill include Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). ESPN has not received any requests to speak on air from anyone in opposition to the legislation, the source told FOS. But if the network was to receive such a request, it would “obviously do the same” as it did with Cruz, the source said.
247Sports Alabama reporter Mike Rodak noted Cruz’s interview was longer than Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s (just more than seven minutes) “without someone like Chris Murphy to balance the political perspective being offered.” Stewart Mandel of The Athletic asked: “Was there any thought that maybe someone on the other side of it should get a chance to rebut or no?” ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio wrote that ESPN “continues its not-so-subtle advocacy for the Protect College Sports Act” by “giving extended airtime” to Cruz.
The Protect College Sports Act does have strong bipartisan support within the Senate and is supported by the SEC, Big Ten, and most top college conferences, as well as a coalition of college coaches. The bill has been through several iterations since it was introduced with bipartisan backing in May, but at its core, it would grant the NCAA an antitrust exemption to allow the organization to enforce eligibility and NIL rules. It would also allow conferences to pool their broadcast rights in media negotiations if they chose to.
Saban and Colorado coach Deion Sanders have been featured in commercials promoting the bill, although neither are getting paid for their services. The ads are part of a $10 million push from Saving College Sports, the organization run by Texas Tech billionaire booster and university board chairman Cody Campbell.
