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Key Senators Cruz, Cantwell Look to Break College Sports Logjam in Congress with a Bipartisan Bill
The measure would cap player pay, limit transfers and give college sports leaders a legal shield from lawsuits.
- After years of legislative stalling, Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., are set to introduce a bipartisan college sports bill within days that would limit players to one unrestricted transfer per career and impose a hard salary cap on athletes.
- College sports has grappled with rising player costs and an out-of-control transfer portal threatening smaller women's and Olympic sports, while NIL deals from booster collectives have allowed schools to circumvent salary-sharing limits set by the House v. NCAA settlement.
- The bill grants a limited antitrust exemption allowing the industry to self-regulate player eligibility and transfers, preempts state-by-state NIL regulations, and includes a "Lane Kiffin Rule" prohibiting midseason coaching changes; pooling TV rights could generate more than $9 billion with guardrails protecting women's and Olympic sports scholarships.
- Cantwell said she and Cruz teamed on the legislation because the college sports system is "in a bit of chaos," though SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey objected to endorsing an unseen bill and both he and Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti withheld support.
- The bill needs 60 votes to clear the Senate, with momentum critical before August recess and midterm elections; Cantwell emphasized the legislation protects all athletes, not merely the "1% of athletes who go on to have a professional career.
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Protect College Sports Act targets NIL, transfers and athlete protections
Following the failure of the SCORE Act gaining enough traction for votes in congress, new proposed legislation has been presented in the form of a bipartisan bill that will see an overhaul to the college sports structure.
·Alabama, United States
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Key Senators Cruz, Cantwell look to break college sports logjam in Congress with a bipartisan bill
The Senators trying to fix college sports will introduce a bipartisan bill designed to break a Congressional logjam that would regulate payments to players, limit them to one “free” transfer over their careers and create a “Lane Kiffin Rule” to…
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Total News Sources57
Leaning Left18Leaning Right1Center30Last UpdatedBias Distribution61% Center
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources are Center
61% Center
L 37%
C 61%
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