LEAD1, an organization that represents all of the 129 FBS athletic directors, can now pool their money together and support political candidates.
The group announced that LEAD1 has formed a political action committee. It’s the first time a college sports organization has formed a PAC.
Here is what the group is looking to do now as a PAC.
Essential to the mission of the LEAD1 Association are influencing how the rules of college sports are enacted and implemented, advocating for the future of college athletics, and providing various services to the members, ranging from professional development to pooled purchasing arrangements. The mission statement of the LEAD1 Association is, “Supporting the athletic directors of America’s leading intercollegiate programs in preparing today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders.”
While this move is unprecedented on the collegiate level, it has already been done on the professional level. The NFL Players’ Association formed a PAC earlier this year, and the league itself started one back in 2008. So far, the other three major pro sports haven’t followed in the NFL’s footsteps.
While there isn’t a ton of legislation going through Washington DC having to do with college athletics, there’s one issue that could soon be discussed among politicians: paying college athletes. It seems as if this move comes as a way for ADs to get their anti-athlete pay platform into the minds of congressmen and women. As we know, there’s plenty of money being made in college athletics these days and I’m sure some of that could be allocated toward certain politicians.
[PR Web]
