Protect College Sports Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
Introduced
Summary
A federal framework to govern college athletes' name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and reshape who controls media revenue. This bill would set nationwide rules for NIL deals, agent conduct, health protections, and pooled media-rights governance.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Medical coverage and safety rules
If enacted, Division I schools would have to pay all out-of-pocket medical costs (copays and deductibles) for injuries from participation while you play. Schools would must provide a paid independent second opinion and catastrophic coverage for medical costs over $90,000. Out-of-pocket coverage would continue for five years after your last competition. Associations would hold at least $60 million each academic year to help cover post-eligibility care for institutions with financial need. Institutions would also follow safety protocols and name an independent athletic health and safety officer within 270 days.
Media pooling, local access, and antitrust
If enacted, schools and conferences would be able to form a covered entity that pools and sells member media rights without antitrust liability if it follows the bill's rules. A covered entity must include at least 75% of FBS schools at formation and must offer fair membership terms. The pool must pay schools at least once per year, guarantee minimum distributions and certain year-over-year protections, and set aside money for the post-eligibility medical fund. The covered entity must make at least one local outlet available in each member school's local market for football and basketball, and the FCC would publish markets within 180 days.
Agent rules and 5% fee cap
If enacted, agents who represent student athletes for endorsements would need to register with a State and sign a written agency contract before representing an athlete. Agent contracts would have to show the parties, term, registration info, and the fee. An agent could not charge more than 5% of an endorsement's value. Athletic associations would keep a public registry and could decertify or fine agents who break the rules.
Legal help, ombudsman, and whistleblower safeguards
If enacted, current and former student athletes and others could sue to enforce many parts of the bill, ask courts to void bad NIL or agent contracts, and seek actual damages. Pre-dispute arbitration and class-action waivers would usually not apply to these disputes. Associations would be required to run an Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman to give free, confidential advice. The bill would also bar retaliation and let whistleblowers seek damages, reinstatement, and attorney fees.
Scholarship, academic, and transfer rules
If enacted, schools generally could not cut or reduce a grant-in-aid just for poor performance, injury, or roster moves. Schools can revoke aid for transfers or serious rule breaches, but they must give written notice and a chance to cure. You would get one transfer without losing eligibility; a second transfer would normally cost one year of eligibility unless your sport was cut, your coach left, you experienced sexual assault/harassment, or you're pursuing a graduate degree. Participation would usually be capped at five calendar years, with narrow exceptions for pregnancy, military service, or missions.
Student NIL rules and limits
If enacted, Division I student athletes would have protected rights to market their name, image, and likeness (NIL) and could receive payments from schools, conferences, collectives, or third parties. You would have to report NIL deals and payments over $600 from the same entity within 12 months to your school within 30 days; associations would publish an anonymized searchable database by each September 1. The bill would keep a revenue-share cap in place after the named settlement ends and index that cap yearly by CPI-U. The bill also narrows what counts as compensation and bars NIL deals that are structured to get around the revenue-share cap.
Student athletes on governing boards
If enacted, at least one-third of the membership and voting power of any governing board or rulemaking committee must be current student athletes or graduates from the last ten years. Former student athletes who are current or former employees of an association or school would not count toward that one-third. Board members would be barred from voting on issues where they have a conflict of interest.
Coach moves and recruiting windows
If enacted, people who work for an FBS football team during its season could not perform head-coach duties for another school during that same season. A mid-season head-coach hire could be barred from serving until the later season ends. The bill would also limit recruiting contacts to a five-week window starting seven days after a sport's last competition, and athletes must opt in before being contacted.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
WA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]
NJ • R
Sponsored 9/10/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov