The NFL and the NFL Players Association have officially endorsed the “Protect College Sports Act” of 2026, a bipartisan Senate proposal aimed at regulating name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and athlete transfers. Introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, the legislation seeks to stabilize collegiate athletics amid ongoing legal and financial uncertainty. Broad … Read more
University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman, representing the Southeastern Conference, met virtually with U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell on June 9, 2026, to discuss the Protect College Sports Act. The bipartisan legislation aims to establish a federal framework for athlete compensation, eligibility, and conference stability as the NCAA faces escalating legal challenges. The … Read more
The Senate’s bipartisan “Protect College Sports Act” hearing on June 3, 2026, exposed deep divisions over how to regulate college athletics—but no clear path forward. The hearing, convened by the Senate Commerce Committee, featured a rare moment of bipartisan agreement on one issue: the chaos of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and the transfer … Read more
The Big Ten and SEC conferences released a joint statement Tuesday opposing the Protect College Sports Act in its current form, calling it “fundamentally flawed” less than a week after the bill was introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell. The legislation, which aims to regulate NIL payments, coach movement, and transfer rules, faces … Read more
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell introduced the 111-page Protect College Sports Act on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. The bipartisan legislation seeks to establish federal standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments, regulate the transfer portal, and implement a “Lane Kiffin Rule” to restrict mid-season coaching movement. Standardizing Federal Oversight for Collegiate Athletics … Read more
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., announced the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. The legislation aims to stabilize the college athletics industry by granting the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption, setting athlete compensation caps, and establishing new federal standards for player transfers and eligibility. Legislative Framework for a … Read more