Senate advances Protect College Sports Act with amendments on NIL spending
The Protect College Sports Act cleared a procedural vote in the Senate by a 70-21 margin and added amendments that would count name, image and likeness (NIL) earnings toward a $48.8 million player salary cap.
The Senate voted 70-21 to move the Protect College Sports Act forward, clearing additional procedural steps before a final vote is expected later this week. The bill is slated to proceed to the House after passage.
Lawmakers added more than 35 amendments, including language proposed by Republican senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville that would require NIL earnings to be counted against a program’s $48.8 million player spending cap. The amendment is intended to prevent schools from exceeding the cap by making direct payments to athletes and then supplementing those payments through NIL collectives or other affiliated entities.
The bill’s definition of “associated entity” remains broad, raising questions about how deals with sponsors or local businesses would be treated under the cap. Critics argue that the language could limit athletes’ ability to receive compensation from such arrangements, while supporters say the measure safeguards the integrity of the cap system.