Keep Federal Hands Off College Sports

College athletics now involve substantial commercial flows and cultural goods (the Department of Education’s EADA shows ~ $20.8B in 2024 revenue across ~2,000 schools). The article argues that because sport mixes nonmarket values (amateurism, pride, low‑revenue sports) with large media and ticket markets, governance should be decentralized — left to schools, conferences, fans, and markets — rather than to new federal regulation or one‑size‑fits‑all mandates. — How college sports are governed affects university finances, antitrust law, student‑athlete rights, and the role of federal policy in higher education — a debate with budgetary and cultural stakes.