Baker met with nine members of Congress over the past two weeks, including at least five U.S. senators, multiple legislative aides tell Sports Illustrated. The meetings, with members of both parties and both branches, were described as introductory in nature and will likely serve as the first in ongoing conversations between Baker and lawmakers over potential federal legislation to govern college athlete compensation.
Aides from the offices of Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) confirmed they met with Baker in individual gatherings. A meeting with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was rescheduled. It’s not clear which other legislators Baker met with.
Baker’s conversations with lawmakers centered on solutions for name, image and likeness (NIL), a concept officials within college sports say has created a chaotic environment that needs to be governed at the national level. For more than three years now, the NCAA has sought a congressional bill so NIL can be run under a uniform set of standards as opposed to the differing state laws that schools are now following.
