Cody Campbell, Co-CEO Double Eagle Energy & Texas Tech Board Chair | Sports Business Radio Podcast

Why It Matters

Federal legislation could halt cuts to non‑revenue sports and secure the financial future of college athletics, preserving a vital pipeline for leadership development across the nation.

Key Takeaways

• Saving College Sports Initiative seeks federal legislation to stabilize athletics.
• Current FBS athletic departments face $20M+ annual deficits.
• Proposed Protect College Sports Act includes voluntary media rights pooling.
• Amending 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act could unlock billions for secondary sports.
• Congressional action needed to modernize revenue models while preserving competition.

Summary

The Sports Business Radio interview spotlights Cody Campbell, co‑CEO of Double Eagle Energy and Texas Tech regent, as the driving force behind the Saving College Sports Initiative. Campbell explains how the surprise departure of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 spurred Texas Tech to examine the broader governance and financial crises afflicting college athletics, ultimately leading to a push for federal legislation.

Campbell details the stark financial reality: average FBS athletic department deficits exceed $20 million annually, and the 2025 NCAA settlement added a $20.5 million salary‑cap expense. State‑level reforms and NCAA rule changes have failed to stabilize the system, prompting the development of the Protect College Sports Act, a 111‑page bipartisan bill that proposes voluntary media‑rights pooling and amendments to the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act to free billions for secondary and women’s sports.

He cites concrete examples—Arkansas cutting tennis, the erosion of Olympic sports, and the under‑monetization of March Madness—to illustrate the urgency. Campbell also highlights the broader societal impact: over 500,000 student‑athletes, with 60 % of U.S. CEOs having a college‑sports background, underscore the leadership pipeline at stake. His work with Senators Cruz and Cantwell, the Trump transition team, and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition reflects a concerted bipartisan effort.

If enacted, the legislation could modernize revenue streams, protect non‑revenue programs, and preserve the unique American model that blends education with elite athletics. By professionalizing the commercial side while maintaining nonprofit status, colleges could sustain both flagship football programs and the broader ecosystem that cultivates future leaders.

Original Description

Cody Campbell, Co-CEO of Double Eagle Energy, Former Texas Tech Red Raider football player and current Texas Tech Board of Regents Chairman joins Sports Business Radio for an in-depth conversation about the state of college sports and what changes need to be made in order to keep many athletic departments from operating at an annual deficit.

Campbell has founded “Saving College Sports”, a 501(c)4 organization dedicated to fighting for a college sports system that protects both student athletes and the future of college athletics at every level.

The billionaire businessman has a unique perspective as a former student athlete, current Regents Chairman and parent to a son who is currently being recruited to play college sports. Campbell has testified in front of Congress and has spoken with President Trump about what needs to be done to protect student athletes and the future of college sports.

In this conversation with Campbell on Sports Business Radio, we discuss why Campbell is devoting so much of his time to this effort, what the challenges are to making changes to the current college athletics landscape, how the transfer portal and NIL have impacted college sports, how a number of athletic departments already run at a deficit and increasing costs will only put them further in debt and what the possible solutions are.

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