Legislation overhauling college sports faces a major test in the Senate

College sports bill heading to Senate for full vote

A federal bill that would revamp college sports is heading to the full U.S. Senate for consideration. The Protect College Sports Act would give the NCAA an antitrust exemption, which would enable the organization to set a limit for athlete payments and enforce rules about transfers and eligibility, including that of athletes who want to return to college after signing pro contracts. The proposed bill also would allow media rights to be sold nati…

Protect College Sports Act heads to Senate despite SEC, Big Ten opposition

KTALnews.com (KTAL/KMSS) - A bipartisan federal bill to stabilize college sports is heading to the U.S. Senate for a full vote after a key hurdle. The "Protect College Sports Act," led by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, aims to regulate payments to student-athletes, limit them to one [...]

Senate advances landmark Protect College Sports Act, ignoring SEC and Big Ten opposition with clock ticking – Democratic Accent

In a landmark moment for the Senate Commerce Committee, the Protect College Sports Act is now moving to a full vote that has already started the lobbying. As leaders from across college sports watched from afar, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) held court during a markup session on Thursday that ultimately took aim at those within the SEC and Big Ten conferences that have opposed the bill in its current form. “What we did to…

Senate advances landmark Protect College Sports Act, ignoring SEC and Big Ten opposition with clock ticking

The Protect College Sports Act passed the Senate Commerce Committee 19-9, advancing to a full Senate vote despite opposition from the SEC and Big Ten conferences.

Senate Committee Advances Bill to Overhaul College Sports

A Senate committee on June 18 advanced a far-reaching proposal that could significantly alter the future of college athletics while addressing many of the challenges it is currently facing. In a vote of 19–9, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the Protect College Sports Act of 2026. The legislation seeks to regulate compensation to players, restrict athletes to one free transfer over their career, and prevent coac…

College sports bill clears key Senate hurdle despite opposition from Big Ten and SEC

A bill that lawmakers and athletic leaders say is the best chance to stabilize college sports cleared a key vote in the Senate Commerce Committee with bipartisan support.