Critical Issues in Collegiate Athletics: Brought to you by
Christine Brown & Partners
“Beyond the Senate Floor: What’s Next for College Athletics?”
Thursday, September 17, 2026 from 2-3:30 pm EST
The Protect College Sports Act and the Future of the NCAA
With the U.S. Senate returning from recess, only several days remain to pass the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act before the legislative window closes. Introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz, Maria Cantwell, Eric Schmitt, and Chris Coons, the bill has gained critical momentum with endorsements from the SEC, Big Ten, and 28 athletic conferences. However, its enactment hangs in the balance as lawmakers weigh labor neutrality, antitrust scope, and House reconciliation hurdles.
This timely webinar evaluates whether codifying national Name, Image, and Likeness standards and limited antitrust exemptions stabilizes higher education or entrenches institutional control. Panelists will analyze federal overrides of state laws, eligibility and single-transfer rules, and statutory safeguards for women’s and Olympic sports among other topics.
The session will also examine the bill’s doubling of the revenue-share cap—debating whether enforcing a statutory ceiling preserves competitive equity or limits the ability of the majority of schools to compete. Finally, experts will break down immediate post-vote realities if the bill passes before the clock runs out versus strategic next steps if Congress stalls.
MODERATOR
AMANDA CHRISTOVICH, Reporter, Front Office Sports. Her work has previously appeared in USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal. Christovich covers the business of the sports industry with a specific focus on college sports, reporting and writing on breaking news, scoops, features and investigations. She leads industry coverage of multiple topics including name, image, and likeness, athlete employment/compensation legal issues, and NCAA gender equity. Her work has been cited/featured in multiple news outlets including The Athletic, CBS Sports, and On3. Christovich regularly appears on radio shows and podcasts across the country, including NPR, local ESPN affiliates, and SEC Network. She holds a M.S. in Journalism from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and a B.A. in English from Georgetown University.
PANELISTS
BRIAN BARRIO, Director of Athletics, Florida Gulf Coast University. Florida Gulf Coast University named Barrio as Director of Athletics on July 2, 2026. Barrio brings over 20 years of intercollegiate athletics experience, including more than five years as an NCAA Division I Director of Athletics. Previously, Barrio served as Athletic Director at UMBC (2020–2024), where he achieved record corporate sponsorship revenue, back-to-back fundraising milestones, and a $5 million arena naming rights deal. Under his leadership, UMBC teams secured 11 America East Conference titles while reaching record departmental GPAs and 10 perfect NCAA Academic Progress Rate scores. Prior to UMBC, Barrio led Central Connecticut State University’s athletics program (2018–2020), securing seven Northeast Conference titles and boosting departmental fundraising by 40% in his first year. Barrio holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of California-Hastings College of the Law and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College.
CHRISTINE BROWN, Attorney, Christine Brown & Partners. Christine is a nationally respected attorney with 30 years of legal experience specializing in college athletics and higher education law. She represents college athletes, coaches, and teams in high-stakes matters, including Title IX investigations and NIL deals to scholarship disputes, transfer eligibility, and employment challenges. Christine has led major Title IX cases, guided hundreds of administrative hearings with a 90% success rate, and stood firmly beside clients facing critical issues such as racial discrimination, hazing, injury compensation, and disability rights. Inspired early by advocating for her brother with Down syndrome and raised by a trial lawyer and Division I sports official, Christine brings sharp strategy and empathy to every case. A mother of three, marathoner, and 1996 Olympic torchbearer, she remains dedicated to standing up for the underdog and protecting the integrity of sports.
FRANK HAWKINS, Attorney, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, is a nationally recognized sports executive with over 30 years of experience. Hawkins’ career is highlighted by 15 years in senior leadership at the NFL, where he served as Senior Vice President of Business Affairs. In that role, Hawkins acted as principal counsel for the league’s broadcasting and finance committees, serving as a staff architect for landmark television agreements and the G-3 stadium financing program. A specialist in media strategy and governance, Hawkins co-founded Scalar Media Partners, advising international sports organizations and college athletics programs on labor, media, technology and sponsorship models. Beyond his legal practice, Hawkins spent nine years teaching at NYU’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport and remains a prominent lecturer. At Shumaker, Hawkins leverages this deep expertise to help clients navigate the complex and evolving intersections of sports, media, and technology.
ETIENNE THOMAS, Deputy Athletics Director for Internal Affairs and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA). Etienne Thomas returns to her alma mater, North Carolina Central University (NCCU), as Deputy Athletics Director for Internal Affairs and SWA, bringing over two decades of athletic administration experience. She previously served NCCU from 2008 to 2017 as Associate and Senior Associate AD. Thomas most recently served as Director of Athletics at Winston-Salem State University (2020–2025), where the Rams captured five CIAA championships, increased alumni engagement, and boosted fundraising for facility upgrades and corporate partnerships. Previously, as AD at Kentucky State University (2018–2019), she launched a men’s volleyball program and drove significant fundraising growth. Her career also includes serving as Associate AD for Student Life at the University of Kansas. A 1996 NCCU graduate, Thomas completed JD coursework at the University of Iowa College of Law and is an alumna of the NCAA Fellows Program. She holds memberships in NACDA, NAAC, Women Leaders in Sports, and the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association.