<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/section/senate/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Senate</a> passed a bill on September 28, 2026, that aims to regulate <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/colleges-and-universities/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">college</a> sports following several court cases that have changed NCAA rules, allowing student-athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Protect College Sports Act passed with a vote of 77-22, receiving bipartisan support. The <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/legislation/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">legislation</a> aims to establish a federal framework for NIL payments, cap the amount universities can provide directly to athletes, create rules for transfers, and implement other regulations governing college <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/section/sports/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sports</a>.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The bill was supported by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/ted-cruz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ted Cruz</a> (R-TX) and ranking member <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/maria-cantwell/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maria Cantwell</a> (D-WA). Cruz promoted the bill during an appearance on ESPN’s <em>College GameDay</em>, a college football pregame show.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cruz stated, “It’s [the bill] about protecting the underdog and ensuring that each and every team has the opportunity to develop and compete, and maybe even make it to the Final Four next season, but those stories only happen if those teams still exist.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This bill represents a significant effort to establish federal rules for college athletics and regulate athlete compensation after years of negotiations. These discussions intensified following a 2025 settlement in the <em>House v. NCAA</em> litigation that allowed colleges to share revenue directly with athletes. The bill seeks to build on that framework while adding further regulations.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In addition to compensation restrictions, the bill provides a framework for transfers, allowing one undergraduate transfer without penalty and another for graduate school. The legislation would also offer the NCAA limited protection from <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/antitrust/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">antitrust</a> lawsuits when implementing the new federal rules. Proponents argue this provision would provide stability after years of litigation, while critics contend it could limit athletes’ ability to challenge restrictions on compensation and other rights in court.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Initially, the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten, two major college sports conferences, opposed the bill but later expressed support following negotiations with lawmakers.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference support the Protect College Sports Act as currently drafted, following detailed and productive negotiations with Senators Cruz, Cantwell, and [Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO)] and their respective staffs,” the two conferences stated in a joint statement. “We appreciate the substantial work that has gone into this effort.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Despite the Senate's broad support for the bill, opponents have highlighted the absence of limits on coaches, athletic directors, media companies, and others who profit from college sports.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) remarked on the Senate floor, “Last year the buyouts for just three coaches at [Louisiana State University] totaled over $169 million, six times the annual operating deficit of the entire athletics program. If you want to know what’s driving the deficit at these big schools, it’s not simply the amount of money they’re paying the students. Those numbers are dwarfed by the amount of money that’s going to coaches and to facilities.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The bill faces challenges in reaching President Donald Trump’s desk before the end of the current Congress, as the House is not scheduled to return until after the November midterm elections.</p>