During the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference’s media day for women’s basketball, I received a solid ‘punch in the gut.’
Still believing that coaches are on college campuses because they are educators, I was disappointed to observe only one of the 18 players I interviewed at ACC Tipoff recognized the name of the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) of 2026. In summary, this legislation aims to regulate college sports, particularly athletes’ use of their names, images, and likenesses (NIL) and their ability to transfer.
There are four specific reasons why I was frustrated to find the conference that helped develop my own athletic and leadership skills, and gave me wonderful opportunities to travel, fell short. During the interview sessions, coach after coach professed their knowledge and a commitment to teach their athletes more than basketball plays. However: while the PCSA is a matter of great interest to those who hold power and those who need it the most in the college sport world, the players I interviewed expressed no familiarity with the bill.
1. The PCSA is arguably the most impactful policy related to the governance of NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I athletics since the Alston Supreme Court ruling (2021) and the passage of Title IX (1972). The former upheld a challenge to NCAA limits on education-related benefits, while the latter prohibited sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, including athletics. Leaders across college sport industry are discussing this bill, and yet the athletes at ACC Tipoff appeared unfamiliar with legislation that could directly affect their college careers.
2. Despite being extremely affected by any passage of PCSA, athletes have had little to zero say (by choice or by force?) in the bill’s aim or construction. Antitrust litigation expanded athletes’ rights. The PCSA could narrow antitrust protections that have helped athletes secure greater rights and benefits through litigation. The Senate-passed version of the bill includes restrictions on athlete mobility, compensation and revenue sharing, and eligibility periods. It also preempts conflicting state NIL laws. Businesses that support the abolishment of antitrust policies are attempting to limit workers’ choices and ability to negotiate earnings. Currently, the House can consider the Senate bill, propose amendments, or start all over with a new version. Why NCAA member institutions cannot work together to address the ongoing labor issue without federal intervention is puzzling in itself.
3. Historically, the ACC membership is known as a collection of institutions that have very strong academic traditions. That is, these universities have chosen to participate at the highest level of competition without compromising their integrity and commitment to scholarly excellence. For example, if athletes at Duke, Notre Dame, University of North Carolina, and University of Virginia are lacking a general knowledge of PCSA, what hope is there for the rest of the ~201,000 Division I athletes? Collectively, ACC athletes are often viewed as the “best of the best” in the nation academically and athletically. Why were so many of the players I interviewed unfamiliar with this bill?
4. The average annual salary is roughly $800,000 for an ACC head women’s basketball coach. (There are eight ACC private institutions that are not required to disclose coaches’ salaries, so that number could be skewed either direction.) This compensation is for the success of “on and off the court” performance of their athletes and effectiveness of their staff. Does the head coach have any responsibility to educate their athletes on major issues facing college sports? That is the question I posed to nine of the head coaches — and each one of them responded emphatically “yes.” Obviously, the head coach should delegate this important responsibility and, again, they all stated that someone else on their staff or in the athletic department keeps their athletes informed.
Am I kidding myself by believing that our coach-educators are preparing their athletes for real-world discussions and decisions? Do coaches have the desire for athletes to think critically about public policy issues? Is it a fact that head coaches have too much pressure to win to bother with governance, equity, and economic issues? Or should athletes perhaps take more responsibility to seek out professors and research topics that may affect their livelihood? My impression is that athletes must take sport business or public policy courses to learn how the system works to harm or help them. Clearly, the reliance on coaches and athletic department support staff to keep them abreast of matters of interest is not working very well.
I remain grateful for what college sports has given me. That gratitude is precisely why I expect more from institutions that promise an education alongside athletic competition. Athletes deserve opportunities to understand, question, and help shape the policies governing their futures. Head coaches do not have to be public policy experts, but they should ensure that someone is helping their players connect these issues to their own lives. If we can prepare athletes to recognize a defense and adjust under pressure, surely we can prepare them to recognize when their rights are on the line.
So, who dropped the ball — and who will take responsibility for picking it up?
Featured photo via Nell Redmond/ACC Photo.
“Never Too Far” contains perspectives and insights from an inquisitive and engaged Orange County transplant from Philly. Deborah Stroman is an entrepreneur and UNC leadership professor who has seen too much and not enough, and thus continues to question and explore the thoughts and actions of humankind.
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