The NCAA has spent the last decade on a major losing streak in court that has chipped away at the business model of amateurism. It started with athlete NIL (name, image, and likeness) rights, but it could end with a full-on employment model.

So the NCAA has more recently turned its attention to Congress, investing millions in convincing lawmakers to halt, and in some cases reverse, the onslaught. The NCAA’s wish list includes preventing athletes from becoming employees, and getting legal protection to enforce their own compensation rules.

So far, the efforts have been unsuccessful. But the 2024 election, now just two weeks away, could change that.