College athletics have changed dramatically in recent years, but the rules governing student athletes have struggled to keep pace.

Earlier this week, the Senate took an important step by voting to advance the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act. This legislation would establish a clear national standard for name, image and likeness (NIL) as well as compensation; create uniform rules for athlete eligibility, transfers, scholarship and health protections; and overall help preserve the true embodiment of what it means to be a student athlete.

Our favorite college players work incredibly hard to represent their universities and communities. They deserve clear rules and meaningful protections, and we have an opportunity to bring greater certainty to college sports while keeping student athletes at the center of the conversation. 

I know firsthand the dedication it takes to compete as a college athlete.

As a former football player for the University of Arkansas, I experienced the demands of balancing academics with the pressure to compete on the field at grueling practices and on game days. Participating in sports teaches discipline, teamwork and perseverance. And in some cases, it creates opportunities that can have a lasting impact long after an athlete’s playing days are over.

That is why it is so important that we get this right. Today’s student athletes are navigating a college sports landscape that looks very different from the one I navigated. Competition is fiercer, demands are higher and the pressure to perform extends well beyond fans in the stands on any given gameday. While the growth of NIL and changes to transfer and eligibility rules have created new opportunities, they have also brought uncertainty and inconsistency from one school and conference to another.

In Arkansas, college sports is a way of life for many of us. While we understand they will change with the times, there is widespread concern with the risk of losing what makes them special.

The current status quo of a conflicting patchwork of different state laws, conference policies and NCAA rules threatens to undermine the integrity of the college sports we all know and love. Athletes, coaches and universities need to know what rules apply to whom and what they can expect –– all in a way that’s fair.

The Protect College Sports Act would help provide that clarity. The legislation’s reforms are designed to end the chaos in a way that, as Razorbacks Basketball Coach John Calipari recently said is “good for all sports, all athletes and all conferences.” Just as importantly, it would strengthen health and safety protections for the students who dedicate countless hours representing their schools. 

We should not lose sight of what makes college athletics special.

For many student athletes, competing in college is more than what happens on the scoreboard. It allows them to earn an education, develop critical skills, represent their communities and prepare for the next chapter of their lives. Now, it also gives them a chance to be entrepreneurial and share in the economic benefits.

But that must happen in an environment built to ensure these opportunities remain available for future generations.

Arkansas’s proud tradition and passion for college athletics is as strong today as ever. This may be a new era, but the young men and women donning their school’s colors deserve a system that is transparent, protects their wellbeing and empowers them to focus on what brought them to campus in the first place — earning an education while also pursuing excellence on the field, court, track or any other venue.

I am confident the Protect College Sports Act, which has strong support from both sides of the aisle, can provide that certainty and preserve what we all agree makes it such a meaningful identity for the fans as well as the student athletes.