Five Questions HBCU Leaders Must Ask About the Protect College Sports Act
HBCU leaders are raising critical questions about the Protect College Sports Act's Title III implications. Here's what's at stake for historically Black colleges.
In brief
The Protect College Sports Act raises unresolved questions for HBCU leaders, particularly around its Title III implications. Title III of the Higher Education Act is one of the most critical federal funding mechanisms for historically Black colleges and universities, and according to Sports Illustrated, there are five key questions HBCU administrators need answered before the legislation advances.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Protect College Sports Act carries significant implications for HBCU institutions under Title III of the Higher Education Act.
HBCU leaders have identified five critical unanswered questions about how the legislation would affect their programs and funding.
Title III is a foundational federal funding stream for HBCUs — any legislation touching it demands careful scrutiny from Black college administrators and advocates.
The debate lands at a moment when HBCU athletic programs are navigating rapid change driven by NIL, conference realignment, and shifting federal policy.
Why Title III Is Non-Negotiable for HBCUs
Title III of the Higher Education Act exists specifically to strengthen historically Black colleges and universities — providing institutional aid that many HBCUs depend on to sustain academic programs, infrastructure, and athletics. Unlike larger Power Four conference schools that draw revenue from massive media deals, most HBCUs operate on tighter margins where federal support is not supplemental — it is structural.
That's why the Protect College Sports Act, which is generating significant debate in congressional and collegiate athletics circles, demands line-by-line scrutiny from HBCU presidents, athletic directors, and advocates. According to Sports Illustrated, HBCU leaders are not satisfied with broad assurances — they need specific answers about how the bill's provisions interact with existing Title III protections and obligations.
For Washington-area institutions like Howard University, which sits at the intersection of HBCU tradition and proximity to federal policymaking on the Hill, the stakes are especially visible. Howard's administration and its peers in the MEAC and SWAC conferences have a direct line to members of Congress — and they are expected to use it. For more on Howard's place in DC's institutional landscape, see WDCM's Howard & HBCU Guide.
Five Questions HBCU Leaders Are Demanding Answers On
Sports Illustrated frames the concern around five core questions HBCU leaders need addressed. While the publication's full breakdown details each question, the throughline is clear: HBCU institutions want to know how the Protect College Sports Act would affect their specific funding relationships, compliance obligations, athlete compensation frameworks, and competitive standing relative to wealthier programs at predominantly white institutions.
These are not abstract policy concerns. HBCU athletic departments — many of which run on budgets a fraction of their Power Four counterparts — could face new compliance costs, altered eligibility rules, or funding disruptions depending on how the legislation is written and implemented. The Title III program has long served as a leveling mechanism; any college sports bill that disrupts that equilibrium without intentional HBCU carve-outs risks widening an already significant resource gap.
Washington is home to Howard University — the flagship of American HBCU culture — and to the congressional committees that write higher education and sports policy. When legislation like the Protect College Sports Act moves through Capitol Hill, Howard's advocates, the United Negro College Fund, and the HBCU community's lobbying infrastructure engage directly. The District is not a passive observer of this debate; it is one of its primary stages.
Congress has shown renewed interest in regulating college athletics following years of upheaval over NIL rights and the transfer portal. But HBCU leaders argue that broadly written legislation often defaults to a Power Five template — one that does not account for the financial realities of schools in the MEAC, SWAC, or other conferences where HBCUs compete. Getting these five questions answered publicly and on the record is how HBCU leaders protect their institutions before a bill becomes law.
The Protect College Sports Act is moving through a Congress that has struggled to reach consensus on college athletics reform for years. HBCU advocates will be monitoring committee markups, amendment opportunities, and whether any HBCU-specific provisions are added to address the Title III concerns Sports Illustrated outlines. The bill's trajectory — and how responsive its sponsors prove to be to HBCU input — will signal how seriously lawmakers take equity in collegiate sports reform.
For the HBCU community, silence from bill sponsors on these five questions is itself an answer — and not an acceptable one.
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FAQ: HBCUs and the Protect College Sports Act
Q: What is Title III of the Higher Education Act, and why do HBCUs care about it? A: Title III provides federal funding specifically designated to strengthen historically Black colleges and universities. It is a foundational revenue stream for many HBCUs, covering institutional development, academic programs, and in some cases athletics infrastructure. Any legislation that intersects with Title III funding rules is a priority concern for HBCU administrators.
Q: What is the Protect College Sports Act? A: The Protect College Sports Act is federal legislation addressing college athletics — including areas like athlete rights, compensation, and institutional obligations. According to Sports Illustrated, its Title III implications have raised specific questions among HBCU leaders about how the bill would affect their institutions.
Q: Why are HBCUs particularly vulnerable to college sports legislation? A: HBCU athletic programs typically operate on significantly smaller budgets than Power Four programs. Broadly written legislation that adds compliance costs or alters funding relationships without HBCU-specific provisions can disproportionately harm Black colleges, widening the resource gap with wealthier institutions.
Q: Which Washington-area HBCUs are most directly affected? A: Howard University in Washington, DC is the most prominent HBCU in the region and has a direct stake in federal higher education and college sports policy given its proximity to Capitol Hill and its status as a flagship institution.
Q: What are HBCU leaders asking Congress to do? A: According to Sports Illustrated, HBCU leaders are seeking specific answers to five questions about how the Protect College Sports Act interacts with Title III before the legislation advances — signaling they want clear protections built into the bill, not added as afterthoughts.
Q: Where can I follow HBCU policy coverage from Washington DC Magazine? A: WDCM's Howard & HBCU Guide and HBCU tag page track the latest developments in HBCU policy, culture, and power.
The bottom line: The Protect College Sports Act is moving through Congress at a moment when HBCU institutions can least afford to be an afterthought in policy design. As Sports Illustrated reports, five unresolved questions about Title III sit at the center of HBCU leaders' concerns — and the answers will shape whether this legislation levels the playing field or tilts it further against Black colleges. Watch committee action on the Hill and listen for whether bill sponsors engage directly with the HBCU community in the weeks ahead.
Reporting drawn from: Sports Illustrated. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
