Senate to Review Final Draft of Protect College Sports Act

The Protect College Sports Act, a 171-page bill co-sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz, Maria Cantwell and Eric Schmitt, has been completed and distributed to senators for review ahead of a possible floor vote this week. Lawmakers face a tight schedule as the congressional recess set to begin on Friday could delay action.

The legislation includes a provision, known as the “Lane Kiffin Rule,” that bars a coach who leaves one school for another during the same season from coaching in intercollegiate football until the end of that season, including postseason play. It also seeks to limit the formation of a “Super League” by restricting large-scale conference realignment when existing media-rights contracts expire.

Transfer regulations would allow a single penalty-free transfer and provide exceptions for coach departures, program discontinuations, sexual-assault allegations, or graduate-level competition. The bill proposes a national registry for agents representing student-athletes and imposes stricter recruitment and tampering penalties, with sanctions enforceable by conferences.

Financial provisions maintain the House Settlement framework for revenue sharing, with a possible increase of $22.5 million to bring total distribution close to $45 million by 2027, plus an additional $5 million earmarked for women’s and non-revenue sports. Section 203 preserves antitrust protection for collective broadcast negotiations and requires local market access for college football and basketball games.

Title III, the “Ignite HBCUs Sports and Media Act,” would make federal grants available to historically Black colleges and universities for upgrades to broadband, technology, media, and sports-broadcast infrastructure.

If the Senate grants cloture, the bill could still require several weeks to advance through the legislative process amid other pending measures, including sanctions on Russia and temporary government funding extensions.