Senators Push for SEC and Big Ten to Support College Athlete Rights Before August Recess
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Lawmakers are negotiating the Protect College Sports Act to finally address the exploitation of college athletes, including NIL rights, transfers, and unchecked conference realignment, despite resistance from powerful sports conferences over media profits.
Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) are working to secure backing from the SEC and Big Ten for the Protect College Sports Act before Congress adjourns for its August recess. This bill, which passed the Senate Commerce Committee in June, seeks to establish long-overdue federal guidelines on name-image-likeness (NIL) compensation, athlete eligibility, transfer rules, and to curb the rampant conference realignment that has prioritized profits over student welfare.
Predictably, both the SEC and Big Ten—two of the most powerful and profit-driven conferences—have raised objections to the bill’s current language, especially a provision that would require more equitable pooling of media-rights revenues. Their main concern is not the wellbeing of student-athletes, but rather the potential reduction in their future television-deal earnings and the restriction on adding new member schools to further expand their empires. Senate leadership, including Majority Leader John Thune, has signaled that the legislation is unlikely to reach the Senate floor before the recess, a move that plays into the hands of those who benefit from the status quo.
"They're working on language through the night, and that's probably not how they'd be spending their Thursday night if there wasn't a chance," spokesperson Ansley Lacitis told reporters, highlighting the urgency of the fight for athlete rights.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey admitted in an interview that missing the August deadline could push the issue into the September session, when other budget and policy matters—often dictated by corporate interests—dominate the agenda. He acknowledged that while the bill aims to close loopholes that have long allowed exploitation, further adjustments are still needed.
Cruz and Cantwell have stated that the media-rights clause would be voluntary, a concession to the powerful conferences that may undermine the bill’s effectiveness. As of Thursday evening, no revised draft had been shared with the SEC or Big Ten, leaving the fate of meaningful reform for college athletes uncertain.