SEC and Big Ten Back Protect College Sports Act After Late-Stage Deal
The SEC and Big Ten presidents and chancellors voted to support the Protect College Sports Act following last-minute negotiations that added stricter revenue-share caps and NIL certification requirements.
Chicago – The presidents and chancellors of the SEC and Big Ten announced Friday that they will back the Protect College Sports Act after intensive negotiations with U.S. senators and other stakeholders. The joint statement said the leagues added language to tighten the athlete revenue-share cap and require sponsors and apparel brands to certify that name-image-likeness (NIL) agreements are independent of the schools.
The revised bill raises the overall cap from $21.3 million to $48.8 million, including a $22.5 million retention pool for schools and an additional $5 million earmarked for women’s and non-revenue sports. It also creates an attestation process for NIL deals involving university-affiliated entities, aiming to prevent schools from circumventing the cap.
Senator Eric Schmitt, who led the Senate negotiations, said a vote on the measure could occur as early as Thursday and as late as Saturday, adding that the legislation may receive up to 80 votes in the Senate. He told reporters that President Donald Trump was informed of the development and expressed satisfaction.
If passed by the Senate, the bill would grant the NCAA and the conferences a limited antitrust exemption to reinstate a one-time transfer rule, standardize a five-year eligibility policy, bar professional athletes from returning to college, and establish an agent registry with a minimum fee. It also includes a provision, dubbed the “Ignite HBCUs Sports and Media Act,” to provide federal grants to historically black colleges and universities.
The legislation still requires approval from the House of Representatives and faces a potential delay due to the Senate’s upcoming recess and competing legislative priorities.