SEC voices opposition to pooled media rights in proposed Senate bill

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Just a day after the landmark "Protect College Sports Act" was introduced by the U.S. Senate, it could be set to face its first major hangup.

The bipartisan proposal would provide sweeping changes and regulations to how college sports operate. Among the provisions in the bill is an amendment to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which would allow college sports leagues to pool their media rights into one cohesive package.

It's an idea the SEC soundly rejected on Friday.

“The Southeastern Conference recognizes and appreciates the many ongoing discussions regarding potential system-wide improvements to ensure the future success of college athletics," the league said in a statement. "The SEC has been intentional, through years of thoughtful planning and decision-making, in strategically positioning itself for future media negotiations. The conference must retain the ability to act in the best interests of its membership. As such, the SEC does not support assigning its media rights to a third party and remains firmly committed to independently conducting its media negotiations.”

The SEC could find common ground with the Big Ten on the issue, as a study commissioned by the two leagues earlier this year found that pooled media rights would generate less revenue overall compared to the current model.

Though the proposed legislation would provide the NCAA with the antitrust exemption it has long sought, it seems the two biggest stakeholders could become a major obstacle to the bill's success.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: SEC comes out against pooled college sports media rights in new bill

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