Stephen A Smith has voiced concern over Donald Trump’s planned college football visit on Saturday, claiming the President has an ulterior motive for his trip.
The White House confirmed that Trump will travel to watch Tennessee take on Texas at Neyland Stadium, where ESPN’s College GameDay will be broadcasting.
While excitement surrounds the SEC clash, Smith has sounded the alarm warning that Trump will look to hijack the spotlight to push the Protect College Sports Act.
The bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz, aims to establish regulations on student-athlete eligibility, transfer portal movement and NIL compensation.
Cruz previously appeared on College GameDay earlier this month to campaign for the legislation, prompting speculation that Trump could follow suit on Saturday.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the President ended up on the show,’ Smith said on his Thursday afternoon radio show on SiriusXM.
Stephen A. Smith has voiced concern over Donald Trump’s college football visit on Saturday
The White House confirmed this week that Trump will travel to watch Tennessee take on Texas at Neyland Stadium, where ESPN’s College GameDay will be broadcasting live on-site
‘Don’t know whether that’s going to be the case or not but it wouldn’t surprise me at all. Because I definitely believe the President is going to use this moment to try to push forward the Protect College Sports Act.’
Smith has been an outspoken critic of the bill, arguing that any federal framework regulating student-athletes without granting them collective bargaining rights heavily favors university administrators over the players generating the revenue.
He continued: ‘The president being involved in this in a way where he’s trying to grease the skids on behalf of the NCAA, I believe is not right. It’s not fair.
‘And it’s not thinking about, nor looking out for the marvelous student athletes who bless us with their presence on the court or field of play.
‘The President should play no role in taking sides in that regard.’
Smith insisted that any reform advocated by the Commander-in-Chief must include fair representation for the athletes themselves.
‘I have no doubt that if he attends this game on Saturday, which the White House has confirmed he absolutely intends to do, that he will use it as an opportunity to push forward the Protect College Sports Act. Don’t like it at all.’
Despite rumors swirling that Trump could join Pat McAfee and Co. on the GameDay desk, reports have since claimed that the President will not make an appearance.
Smith has remained an outspoken critic of the Protect College Sports Act
Senator Ted Cruz was relentlessly booed by Texas fans as he appeared on College GameDay
Instead, ESPN plans to handle his presence as it does with most high-profile figures, by showing shots of Trump watching the action from a suite during the broadcast.
There had been heightened expectations over a potential appearance on College GameDay after Cruz went on the program to promote the Protect College Sports Act.
However, the three-term Senator from Texas didn’t get a warm reception from the students and fans of the Longhorns just hours before they took on No. 1 Ohio State.
From the moment Cruz appeared on the screen, the crowd in Austin did not stop showering the politician with boos as he tried explaining the importance of the bill.
