Deion Sanders created Prime Time so he could get paid. Why deny college athletes the same chance?

The Hall of Famer says his successful college career helped him and his family thrive. Now he appears to be backing legislation that would help others Last week, journalist Rob Parker called Deion Sanders a “sellout” for taking part in an advert promoting the Protect College Spor

The Hall of Famer says his successful college career helped him and his family thrive. Now he appears to be backing legislation that would help others Last week, journalist Rob Parker called Deion Sanders a “sellout” for taking part in an advert promoting the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA). The “sellout” label is harsh, but reflects how disappointing it is for many people to see Sanders stumping for a bill that will hurt athletes.

The major points of contention around the PCSA, which the Senate passed last week and now awaits approval from the House, are a ceiling of around $49m that schools can direct to athletes, as well as a new transfer rule that would, except in a few specific circumstances, restrict players to one “free” transfer (if they move schools again, they’d have to wait a year to play for their next team). Former NFL player Domonique Foxworth has said that “the core of [the PCSA] is about reestablishing the power the NCAA had in the past – that the court system determined was illegal”. Continue reading...