In a move that could reshape the landscape of college athletics, Texas Tech collective founder Cody Campbell is stepping into a new role alongside legendary football coach Nick Saban. The two will serve as co-chairs of President Donald Trump’s college sports commission. This panel is designed to tackle the evolving challenges of collegiate athletics. The most important topic they hope to address is Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and other financial deals for college athletes.
A Powerhouse Duo
Campbell is a former Texas Tech football player and current Board of Regents chairman. He is also one of the most prominent donors for the Red Raiders. He is the co-founder and co-executive of Double Eagle Energy Holdings. It is an oil and gas company that operates extensively in the Permian Basin region of West Texas. Campbell made headlines when he sold Double Eagle for a staggering $4.1 billion in April of this year. His contributions financial to the school have landed his name on the field at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock.
Meanwhile, Saban, the former LSU and Alabama head football coach, has been a vocal critic of the current state of college athletics. Specifically, he has been advocating for more structure and regulation in the NIL era. It’s become commonplace to see Saban ranting about the need for change on College GameDay in the fall. Together, these two figures bring a unique blend of business acumen and coaching expertise. Campbell’s experience in high-stakes financial deals and Saban’s deep understanding of college athletics could prove instrumental in shaping policies that ensure fairness, sustainability, and competitive balance.
The Commission’s Mission
The commission, spearheaded by President Trump, aims to address key issues plaguing college sports. This includes unrestricted player movement via the NCAA transfer portal, unregulated booster payments, athlete employment status, and Title IX implications. Calls on Congress to get involved are not new to any of these situations in the history of college athletics. But once NIL deals became a part of the landscape, the calls to D.C. grew in number and volume. The commission’s work could set the foundation for a more structured approach to collegiate sports governance.
Why Would Campbell Join?
It’s no secret that the wild, wild West nature of NIL and collectives has greatly benefited Texas Tech. Campbell, head football coach Joey McGuire, and his Red Raider team have burst into the national landscape. After seemingly coming out of nowhere to be the most active team in the fall portal window, Texas Tech has continued to add key pieces in the spring window. So why would Campbell want to actively corral the NIL landscape. Why change when it has positioned his alma mater in a position it’s never been in before? Campbell has called for reform publicly multiple times in the past. His most recent came in light of the Nico Iamaleva unceremonious exit from Tennessee. Campbell’s public comments appear to be looking out for the rest of college athletics beyond the big revenue sports (football and men’s basketball).
In a piece penned on The Federalist on April 14th, Campbell said, “Lost in all of this are the 500,000+ student athletes who are not receiving multi-million dollar deals and have no voice at the table”. Campbell is calling for rules that allow NIL contracts to be enforced. In addition, he is seeking one set of laws to be followed, and not state legislature ruling the day. He also wants to ensure athletes remain student-athletes and not employees. Campbell argues, “establishing this non-employee status will help to limit the cost burden of sponsoring an intercollegiate sport, and ensure that benefits like a scholarship are not taxable as income.” Perhaps the most significant reason, though he is calling on action, is to get everyone to play on the same money field.
Searching For Equal Money Sharing
“College sports do not currently have the right to take the same approach [as the NFL], as they do not have protection under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, as do the professional leagues. Through inclusion in the Sports Broadcasting Act, colleges would gain the right to pool and jointly market their media rights, and install a media revenue distribution system that would significantly increase total revenue and would promote parity.” Campbell’s quest to protect all of college athletics appears noble. The cynic would argue that if Campbell played is football at a Big 10/SEC school, he would not have this same stance.
What’s Next?
There is no way to determine the exact impact the commission would have on the college sports landscape. After all, there are still potential landmark agreements to settle in a trio of antitrust lawsuits facing the NCAA. Most notably, it would allow for the first time a system of direct payments from schools to athletes.
Campbell and Saban’s leadership will be pivotal in shaping the future of college athletics. As the commission begins its work, all eyes will be on these two. College athletics will see how, or even if, they can properly steer the future of college athletics in a direction that works for all.
Main Image: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News
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