Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) struck a bipartisan deal in a new bill that they hope will be enough to end the regulatory chaos surrounding college sports in recent years.
Cruz and Cantwell announced on Wednesday that they struck a bipartisan agreement to bring a new “Protect College Sports Act” to Congress this session. The bill would roll out numerous changes, including regulations on player transfers and payments, rules on mid-season coach movement, and bar professional players from coming back to the NCAA.
“The Protect College Sports Act is a bipartisan plan to restore order,” Cruz said in a statement. “Student athletes can profit from their name, image, and likeness, but college sports still needs real rules, competitive balance, rivalries, and a true connection to education. This bill protects athletes and fans and keeps college sports from becoming a two-conference minor league.”
The bill’s rollout comes as part of a yearslong saga on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers and college sports industry advocates attempting to provide a clearer structure for the NCAA as it battles a slew of legal challenges. Amid years of Congress trying and failing to act after the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling that unlocked name, image, and likeness compensation for collegiate athletes, Cruz and Cantwell’s bill stands out with its bipartisan support, backing from the White House, and support from the NCAA.
The bill includes protections for name, image, and likeness for student athletes, a five-year eligibility framework with one-time transfer protection, protections against mid-season coach transitions, bars professional athletes from NCAA eligibility, and creates a student athlete ombudsman position for oversight. It also aims to tackle issues, including imbalances between the wealthiest conferences, such as the SEC and Big Ten, and the rest of the nation’s athletic conferences, along with resolving the recurring antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA.
Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) have also expressed support for the legislation. Coons called it a “strong” bill and encouraged Congress to take it up quickly.
“This legislation will protect student-athletes and ensure they receive the compensation, benefits, and safeguards they’ve earned on the field and in the courtroom, help schools with smaller athletic departments avoid eliminating programs, and protect non-revenue sports while allowing sports such as basketball and football to continue growing,” Coons said.
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The timing of the bill follows the most recent pulling of a vote on the GOP-led Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act, which has faced pushback from legislators who argue it’s not ready for action.
Randy Levine, vice chairman of President Donald Trump’s Roundtable on Fixing College Sports, voiced his support for the Protect College Sports Act, calling it “a great first step to solving the chaos and protecting Olympic sports.”
