BS BULLETIN:

• Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Kennedy got into a spirited Senate-floor clash Monday over the sweeping Protect College Sports Act.
• Kennedy wanted to cap annual increases in college sports ticket prices at 4%; Cruz urged senators to reject the amendment.
• Kennedy fired back so forcefully from his seat that the presiding officer informed him he was “substantially” out of order.

Sen. John Kennedy has never required a microphone to make his feelings known.

Monday night was no exception.

The Louisiana Republican got into a heated floor exchange with fellow Republican Sen. Ted Cruz as the Senate worked through amendments to the Protect College Sports Act, a sweeping bill intended to establish federal rules governing college athletics.

Kennedy had a simple addition he wanted to make.

Do something for the fans.

His amendment would have limited annual increases in ticket prices for college athletic events to 4%. Cruz wasn’t buying it.

The Texas Republican, one of the principal architects of the broader legislation, argued that Kennedy’s proposal could hurt smaller schools just as their athletic programs begin succeeding. Cruz offered the example of a smaller school suddenly producing a playoff-caliber football team and then drawing major opponents such as Alabama or Notre Dame the following season. Demand explodes. More people want tickets.

Under Kennedy’s amendment, Cruz argued, the school wouldn’t be able to adjust ticket prices sufficiently to capitalize on that new demand.

And Cruz said there was another consequence. Ticket revenue helps generate money that can ultimately flow back into athletic programs and revenue sharing with student-athletes. So Cruz urged his colleagues to vote no.

Kennedy had heard enough. The Louisiana senator wasn’t even formally recognized by the chair when he loudly fired back from his seat.

“All this bill does is fix prices. It fixes prices on everybody. Why don’t we do something for the fans, for God sakes? Don’t tell me this isn’t a price-fixing bill.”

At that point, the presiding officer tried to restore order. Kennedy stopped and asked the obvious question.

“Am I out of order, Mr. President?”

The answer came back:

“Yes, substantially.”

That’s John Kennedy for you. Even when he’s out of order, apparently he wants to know exactly how far out of order.

Kennedy’s amendment ultimately failed, 42–54. The larger bill fared considerably better.

The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act 77–22 Monday night, with Kennedy himself voting for the final legislation despite losing his ticket-price amendment.

The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Cruz and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, attempts to establish nationwide rules governing the rapidly changing world of college athletics, including name, image and likeness compensation, athlete transfers and revenue sharing.

It also provides the NCAA with significant protection from antitrust lawsuits, one of the provisions that has attracted opposition from labor organizations and athlete advocates.

President Trump has urged Congress to pass the legislation. The Senate has now done its part. The House would still have to approve it before the end of the congressional session.

Kennedy, meanwhile, didn’t get his 4% ticket cap. But he did manage to make the debate considerably more entertaining.

MY QUICK TAKE

I love John Kennedy exchanges because they occasionally make the United States Senate sound like two guys arguing over the last barstool.

And underneath all the theatrics, there was actually an interesting disagreement here.

Cruz says: Don’t handcuff a successful college program from making money when demand suddenly explodes.

Kennedy says: You’re already writing a massive federal law controlling college athletics — maybe somebody ought to remember the poor schmuck paying $600 to take his family to the game.

Two Republicans.

Two different arguments.

And one senator officially ruled “substantially” out of order.

If we’re going to have the federal government regulating college football, this is at least the way the debate ought to sound.

DBS WIRE SOURCES:

• Mediaite — Republican senator fires back at Ted Cruz on Senate floor: ‘For God’s sakes!’
• Washington Post — Senate passes a sweeping college sports bill. Here’s what it would change
• Associated Press — Senate passes college sports bill that would rein in athlete payments and transfers
• Houston Chronicle — Ted Cruz’s college sports bill passes Senate but House remains unclear