Jim Jordan Warns College Athlete Reform Could Cut Non-Revenue Sports

Proposed Athlete Reform and Employment Status

• 🎯 Rep. Jim Jordan questions the potential outcome of a proposed plan, specifically asking what happens if college athletes are deemed employees.
• 💡 Chris McIntosh, Director of Athletics at the University of Wisconsin, notes that no student athlete has expressed a desire to be classified as an employee.

Impact on Non-Revenue and Olympic Sports

• ⚠️ McIntosh expresses concern that proposed reforms could place tremendous financial pressure on institutions, potentially being detrimental to non-revenue sports, especially at lower levels.
• 📉 The SEC Commissioner anticipates a loss of many Olympic sports if no action is taken, suggesting a move towards a model with football, basketball, and comparable women's sports to satisfy Title IX.
• 📌 McIntosh believes this portrayal of a likely result is accurate.

University of Wisconsin's Athletic Budget and the House Settlement

• 💰 McIntosh confirms the University of Wisconsin has a $171 million operating budget and can continue to offer its 23 sports, even if no changes occur, due to the stability provided by the House settlement.
• 🤝 The House settlement and revenue sharing are seen as crucial for funding opportunities for all student athletes, with revenue-generating sports funding the entire ecosystem.

Coach-Athlete Relationship and Sport-Specific Concerns

• 👩‍🏫 Miss Smith Gilbert emphasizes her role as a teacher, leader, and mentor, not an employer, and believes an employment model would change the coach-athlete relationship.
• 🏊‍♀️ She argues that student athletes should not face the pressure of being employees at a young age, and the sport of swimming and diving, foundational to the Olympic movement, would be severely impacted.
• 🤼‍♂️ Concerns are echoed by various associations, including the USO, women's volleyball, and wrestling coaches, regarding the fate of non-revenue sports that serve as Olympic training grounds.