Senate passes Protect College Sports Act with sweeping bipartisan vote

The United States Senate cleared a major legislative hurdle on Monday, September 28, 2026, passing the Protect College Sports Act by an overwhelming, bipartisan vote of 77 to 22. Supporters describe the measure as a vital effort to bring order to what lawmakers termed a chaotic "Wild West" era of collegiate athletics. The industry has reeled in recent years from escalating athlete payments, constant litigation, and an unrestricted transfer portal that supporters say threatens the stability of university sports.

Negotiated over more than a year by Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Washington Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, the bill provides the NCAA with a limited antitrust exemption. This authority allows governing bodies to enforce stricter rules surrounding player eligibility and transfer limits. The legislation also codifies name, image, and likeness (NIL) frameworks into federal law, establishing a structured mechanism for compensating student-athletes.

Financial Mechanics and Industry Cost Increases

College athletic departments have experienced explosive budget growth over the past two decades. According to a report released by Senator Maria Cantwell on September 15, 2026, skyrocketing expenditures have driven the financial pressures facing universities. The report highlighted massive percentage increases between 2005 and 2023:

Expenditure Category	Recorded Increase (2005–2023)
Coaching Salaries	370%
Recruiting Costs	322%
Sports Equipment	Nearly 300%
Medical Expenses	Around 250%
Gameday Expenses	Around 250%
Travel Expenses	More than 200%

To address the financial landscape following a landmark 2025 court settlement, the legislation codifies a revenue-sharing cap that allows schools to share up to $21.5 million in revenue directly with players. To secure the backing of the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference, the bill permits an additional $27.5 million in payments through a retention fund. Furthermore, the legislation allows schools and conferences to pool television media rights to generate additional revenue.

Regulatory Guardrails and Restrictions

The legislation implements strict operational boundaries across multiple facets of college athletics:

• Transfers and Eligibility: Restricts players to five years of total eligibility and limits athletes to one "free" transfer move over five years without sitting out a season.
• Conference Realignment: Imposes a cap of 20 member programs per conference to thwart potential "superleagues" and requires any school switching power conferences to spend three academic years competing as an independent.
• Agent Compensation: Establishes a 5% cap on commissions for agents handling NIL deals.
• Coaching Movements: Restricts coaches from departing their schools during an active season.

Proponents argue these guardrails protect non-revenue programs. Schools have eliminated more than 100 women's and Olympic sports teams since 2023, and supporters claim the bill prevents further cuts by reining in runaway spending. However, legal experts like University of Baltimore School of Law professor Dionne Koller expressed skepticism that cutting Olympic and women's programs is a necessary outcome of financial restructuring.

Political Alignment and Fierce Opposition

The bill drew support from a broad coalition, including the NCAA, powerhouse athletic conferences, and President Donald Trump, who posted his endorsement on social media following the late-night vote. Television broadcasts throughout September featured prominent figures such as former Alabama football coach Nick Saban supporting the legislation.

Conversely, a vocal bloc of 22 senators joined labor groups, athlete organizations, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the AFL-CIO in opposition. Critics contend the legislation preserves institutional wealth while placing unfair burdens on athletes.

"This is a bill that essentially ensconces a system of exploitation, and it doesn’t fix the broader problems."

Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, via The Guardian

All four Black Democrats in the Senate — Cory Booker, Raphael Warnock, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Angela Alsobrooks — voted against the measure. Senator Cory Booker, who played football at Stanford University, emphasized the outsized role played by Black athletes and criticized the NCAA for seeking sweeping antitrust exemptions. That’s what frustrates me — is we have a bill that's going to protect the wealth and the gravy train for a lot of folks but puts burdens on college athletes, Booker said in an interview with NPR.

Next Steps

The legislation now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers face a tight timeline, as the House remains in recess until after the November midterm elections. If the bill fails to secure passage in both chambers before the end of the year, lawmakers will be forced to restart the legislative process in the next Congress.