Congressman rips House settlement, pleads with President Donald Trump to 'step in and save college sports'

Congressman Michael Baumgartner ripped the recent House Settlement and called for President Donald Trump to “save college sports.” He called it an “unsustainable model” for college athletics.

The argument is that this new settlement will only enrich the power conferences, such as the Big Ten and SEC. Baumgartner’s new act claims it’ll be the roadmap to fixing college athletics.

As The Athletic’s Chris Vannini pointed out, Baumgartner is from Spokane and a friend of late-coach Mike Leach. It appears the call for President Trump to help in this process is of utmost importance.

“The House settlement locks in an unsustainable model that enriches the power conferences at the expense of everyone else – walk-ons, women’s teams, Olympic sports,” Baumgartner said in a statement. “And just like Teddy Roosevelt saved college football in 1905, President Trump can step in to save college sports today. My Restore College Sports Act is the roadmap, with fair revenue-sharing, rationalized conferences, and reasonable student compensation.”

President Trump has been involved in trying to change college athletics for the better. He created a commission on college sports and recently played golf with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua. What comes of it remains to be seen considering Baumgartner claimed the power conferences, such as the one Sankey is in charge of, will be the downfall of the rest of college athletics.

Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported President Trump’s meeting with Sankey and Bevacqua could ultimately lead to action from the White House or even expedite Congressional negotiations over college sports legislation. The president created a commission and selected a chair group that would oversee the look to solve the issues in college athletics. President Trump even wanted to tap former Alabama head coach Nick Saban to lead the charge. The commission work was paused two weeks ago.

All of this is on the heels of the House Settlement which now allows colleges and universities to directly pay their athletes. It was a near $3 billion settlement.