Blab Sports
Senate Pushes Protect College Sports Act Forward Amid SEC, Big Ten Negotiations
Senate negotiators are working to bring the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) to a vote before the chamber’s summer recess, amid ongoing talks with leaders of the Southeast and Big Ten Conferences.
The bill’s sponsors, Sen. Ted Cruz (R‑Texas) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D‑Washington), said they aim to secure a floor vote by August 7, the last day the Senate meets before its summer break. Senators will reconvene in September, leaving a narrow window before the November midterm elections.
A central concession in the revised bill is a retention pool worth more than $20 million that schools could use to keep players from leaving. The pool would effectively double the current revenue‑sharing “salary cap,” which is set at $21.3 million for the 2025‑26 school year. The SEC and Big Ten are asking whether this increase would alter rules governing third‑party payments to players—a practice that has been blamed for rising roster costs.
The conferences also want clarity on whether the higher cap would be compatible with the House settlement that allocated $2.8 billion for revenue sharing. Jeffrey Kessler, the plaintiffs’ attorney in that case, said he would need to review the language before weighing in on its impact.
The Senate documents released to date contain no language about antitrust protection or preemption of state laws, issues that have been central to requests from virtually all conferences and the NCAA since Congress began the process.
Earlier this month, the SEC and Big Ten issued a paper outlining ten “Common Sense Improvements” for the PCSA. The first two items on that list, and three of the ten overall, dealt with the revenue‑sharing cap and third‑party payments.
Other topics addressed in the negotiations include:
Flexibility in requirements for how many Olympic and women’s sports programs a school must sponsor. Relaxation of language that limits conference expansion, allowing leagues to grow to up to 19 teams. * Provisions designed to prohibit private‑equity investors from paying schools to form a super‑league, though the conferences may seek further refinement of that language.
The Senate’s progress on the bill follows a June 18 vote in the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that sent the PCSA to the full Senate. The bill, which seeks to protect the name, image and likeness rights of student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, has received bipartisan support.
The SEC and Big Ten have long argued that the current draft of the PCSA does not adequately address their concerns about revenue distribution, third‑party payments, and the ability to expand. The retention pool and doubled salary cap are the most significant concessions made to date.
Negotiations remain in flux. The Senate has not yet announced a definitive vote date, and the conferences have not yet approved the revised language. Both sides are continuing to discuss the implications of the changes for existing agreements, such as the House settlement and the NCAA’s 2024 revenue‑sharing framework.
If the bill passes before the Senate’s August recess, it would become law and could reshape the financial landscape of college sports. The next steps will involve a floor vote, potential amendments, and the final approval of the bill by the House of Representatives.
The outcome of these negotiations will have implications for schools, athletes, and the broader college‑sports ecosystem, especially as the NCAA and its conferences navigate the evolving legal and economic environment surrounding student‑athlete compensation and revenue sharing.
The current situation remains unresolved, with the Senate and conference leaders continuing discussions. A vote is expected before the August break, but the final outcome will depend on the Senate’s ability to reconcile the remaining differences and secure congressional approval.
The bill’s sponsors, Sen. Ted Cruz (R‑Texas) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D‑Washington), said they aim to secure a floor vote by August 7, the last day the Senate meets before its summer break. Senators will reconvene in September, leaving a narrow window before the November midterm elections.
A central concession in the revised bill is a retention pool worth more than $20 million that schools could use to keep players from leaving. The pool would effectively double the current revenue‑sharing “salary cap,” which is set at $21.3 million for the 2025‑26 school year. The SEC and Big Ten are asking whether this increase would alter rules governing third‑party payments to players—a practice that has been blamed for rising roster costs.
The conferences also want clarity on whether the higher cap would be compatible with the House settlement that allocated $2.8 billion for revenue sharing. Jeffrey Kessler, the plaintiffs’ attorney in that case, said he would need to review the language before weighing in on its impact.
The Senate documents released to date contain no language about antitrust protection or preemption of state laws, issues that have been central to requests from virtually all conferences and the NCAA since Congress began the process.
Earlier this month, the SEC and Big Ten issued a paper outlining ten “Common Sense Improvements” for the PCSA. The first two items on that list, and three of the ten overall, dealt with the revenue‑sharing cap and third‑party payments.
Other topics addressed in the negotiations include:
Flexibility in requirements for how many Olympic and women’s sports programs a school must sponsor. Relaxation of language that limits conference expansion, allowing leagues to grow to up to 19 teams. * Provisions designed to prohibit private‑equity investors from paying schools to form a super‑league, though the conferences may seek further refinement of that language.
The Senate’s progress on the bill follows a June 18 vote in the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that sent the PCSA to the full Senate. The bill, which seeks to protect the name, image and likeness rights of student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, has received bipartisan support.
The SEC and Big Ten have long argued that the current draft of the PCSA does not adequately address their concerns about revenue distribution, third‑party payments, and the ability to expand. The retention pool and doubled salary cap are the most significant concessions made to date.
Negotiations remain in flux. The Senate has not yet announced a definitive vote date, and the conferences have not yet approved the revised language. Both sides are continuing to discuss the implications of the changes for existing agreements, such as the House settlement and the NCAA’s 2024 revenue‑sharing framework.
If the bill passes before the Senate’s August recess, it would become law and could reshape the financial landscape of college sports. The next steps will involve a floor vote, potential amendments, and the final approval of the bill by the House of Representatives.
The outcome of these negotiations will have implications for schools, athletes, and the broader college‑sports ecosystem, especially as the NCAA and its conferences navigate the evolving legal and economic environment surrounding student‑athlete compensation and revenue sharing.
The current situation remains unresolved, with the Senate and conference leaders continuing discussions. A vote is expected before the August break, but the final outcome will depend on the Senate’s ability to reconcile the remaining differences and secure congressional approval.
