In recent years, the collegiate athletics landscape has changed radically as college athletes are now permitted to profit form their name, image, and likeness. But not everyone is happy about those changes, including Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
During a recent hearing on the merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, Rand Paul expressed his frustration at how antitrust laws have allowed college athletes to profit from their likeness.
“The court ruled unanimously that the NCAA can’t invoke their rules. And so they’ve completely screwed up college athletes. We used to be proud – many of us loved watching amateur athletes who weren’t paid,” Paul lamented. “Now everybody that plays basketball in college is gonna be driving a Bentley or a Rolls. I mean, we’re gonna be seeing rap stars instead of basketball stars. I mean, this is crazy.”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) complains about how antitrust laws impact college sports at a hearing on the PGA Tour-LIV merger:
“Now everybody that plays basketball in college is gonna be driving a Bentley or a Rolls. I mean, we’re gonna be seeing rap stars instead of basketball stars.” pic.twitter.com/raasfga8XC
— The Recount (@therecount) July 11, 2023
“And you know why it happened?” Paul asked. “Cause Congress sat around and said ‘Oh, well because of antitrust we can’t let the NCAA do it. It went to the court, and the court made the ruling – unfortunately, a unanimous ruling based on the law. So the law’s got to change.”
Paul certainly didn’t hold back his thoughts on the matter.
