All Roll Calls
Yes: 302 • No: 93
S4668119th CongressWALLET
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Passed Senate
Summary
This bill would create a national framework that protects student-athletes’ NIL rights and safety. It also sets rules for agents and endorsement contracts, reshapes how college media rights are pooled and shared, and funds HBCU broadcast and broadband upgrades.
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- Student athletes and families would get clearer NIL freedoms and must report deals over $600 within days. Agents must register with a State, use written agency agreements, and endorsement fees face a 5% cap.
- Health and academic protections require institutions to cover out-of-pocket medical costs for injuries during participation and for five years after last competition for final-year athletes. Catastrophic coverage must apply to costs over $90,000 and a post-eligibility program must hold at least $60 million each academic year.
- Conferences and schools could form a covered entity with an antitrust exemption to pool media rights and follow revenue rules, including a 15% allocation of remaining revenue to FBS football institutions. The bill also creates competitive HBCU grants funded at $180 million per year for FY2027–FY2032.
*Would authorize $180 million per year for FY2027–FY2032, about $1.1 billion in federal spending over six years.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
23 provisions identified: 12 benefits, 2 costs, 9 mixed.
Stronger medical coverage for college athletes
If enacted, covered schools would pay all out‑of‑pocket costs (copays and deductibles) for sport‑related injuries or diseases while you participate, pay for an independent second opinion, buy catastrophic coverage when costs exceed $90,000, and give an end‑of‑college physical. If you were enrolled in your last year of eligibility, your school would cover out‑of‑pocket costs for five years after your last game. An athletic association would run a medical fund that starts each academic year with at least $60 million, rises by $5 million the next year if used up, and cannot exceed $100 million. The fund would help Division I schools with under $20 million in athletics revenue that show hardship pay the five‑year bills, and it would also cover long‑term conditions from play, like CTE. Associations would be allowed to use collective media‑rights revenue to support the fund.
More freedom to earn from NIL
If enacted, colleges and conferences would not be able to block student athletes or recruits from earning money for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). They would not be able to change eligibility or scholarship amounts because of NIL activity. A team’s NIL could be used only if every member agrees. Schools could still limit NIL that breaks the school’s student conduct code or uses school logos or facilities without consent. Schools, associations, conferences, collectives, and other groups would be allowed to pay or help pay athletes for NIL if they follow the bill’s rules.
Cap on coach pay from outside funds
If enacted, any school with more than $80,000,000 in athletics revenue last year would be barred from paying more than $500,000 from non‑sports or non‑donation sources to a coach, assistant coach, general manager, or team manager. Pay funded by college sports revenue or donations to the athletic department would not count toward this $500,000 limit. This would limit outside‑funded compensation for coaches at the highest‑revenue schools.
Easier transfers, limits on coach moves
If enacted, a student athlete could transfer once between four‑year schools without losing or delaying eligibility. A second transfer would usually cost a year of eligibility, unless the sport is discontinued, the head coach leaves, there was sexual assault or harassment, or the athlete pursues a graduate degree. In FBS football, staff who worked during a season could not take head‑coach duties at another school that same season. A coach hired mid‑season would be ineligible to serve as head coach until the season ends.
Antitrust shields for college sports rules
If enacted, joint agreements that follow the bill’s covered‑entity rules for selling telecast rights would not face antitrust liability. Associations, conferences, and schools could enforce listed rules on NIL, eligibility, transfers, and agents without that counting as an antitrust violation, if they adopt the required bylaws. Associations could fine people, limit eligibility, or decertify agents for rule breaks.
Pooled media rights and school payouts
If enacted, schools or conferences would need to contribute media rights to a covered group to get distributions. The covered group would sell those pooled rights and must first send money to a medical fund. Each school would get at least as much media money as its largest year from 2021–2022 through 2024–2025 (not counting College Football Playoff money). Of the leftover, at least 15% would be split equally among schools that had FBS football revenue in 2024–2025; the rest would be paid by performance. NCAA basketball tournaments and FBS Playoff rights before August 1, 2032 would be excluded. The covered group must start with at least 75% of FBS schools and invite all Division I schools and conferences on fair terms.
Safer endorsement deals and agent rules
If enacted, student athletes would be able to cancel an endorsement contract from the start if it is not in writing or missing key terms. Contracts would need to state the right to have an agent or lawyer, list services, parties, term, pay, and allow termination for nonperformance. Deals could not last beyond the athlete’s eligibility or be tied to living or enrolling in a certain place, with a narrow exception for school‑made contracts after enrollment. Athlete agents would need to register with a State before representing students and sign a written agency contract that names the parties, term, registration details, and fees. Agents would need to certify their registration to the relevant athletic associations.
Stronger rights to sue and report
If enacted, current or former student athletes could sue in court for listed violations and seek actual damages. Courts could void NIL or agent contracts and, in some cases, award attorney fees. For many Title I claims, you would need to give 30 days’ written notice and a chance to fix the issue before suing, except for cases involving physical injury, death, or sexual abuse. For certain other violations, you would need to give at least 1 year to cure before suing. Pre‑dispute arbitration and most joint‑action waivers would not be enforceable against student athletes for these disputes. Whistleblowers would be protected from retaliation and could recover damages, fees, reinstatement, and back pay with interest.
Allowed travel, meal, and school help
If enacted, schools and associations could give reasonable personal benefits tied to education or athletics. Allowed help would include family travel and short lodging during documented health issues or competitions, meals and shelter, medical costs the school does not cover, and school costs like fees and books. These supports would follow the referenced settlement terms.
Keep scholarships and team spots
If enacted, schools would need to keep at least as many scholarships and roster spots in non‑revenue sports as in 2024–2025. The large‑school rule for those with at least $80,000,000 in athletics revenue would end 9 years after enactment, but schools that get collective media rights money would keep this requirement. Associations and conferences could not lower the minimum number of varsity sports, participants, or competitions needed for Division I or FBS membership. One‑year waivers would be limited to strict conditions.
Stronger academic and scholarship protections
If enacted, athletic staff would not be allowed to pressure or punish you for your course or major. Schools would not be able to block outside work, internships, student groups, or volunteering unless they conflict with required class time or team events. Money lessons for athletes would need to be free of marketing or sales pitches. Scholarships could be cut only if you transfer or are not in good standing under school‑wide standards or mandatory team policies; schools would have to give written notice and may reinstate once fixed. Some reinstatement and degree‑completion options would apply only at Division I schools.
Temporary retention payments above cap
If enacted, some schools could pay up to $22,500,000 more each year to keep athletes who spent at least one full season at the school. They could also pay up to $5,000,000 more each year for athletes in non‑revenue sports, tied to NIL compensation. The $22,500,000 exception would last 9 years after enactment. Schools that miss graduation‑rate or academic‑progress benchmarks could not use this exception.
Fans get access and rivalry games
If enacted, companies that buy rights for sports other than football or basketball would need to make games public within 1 year. If they do not, and then do not fix it within 180 days after notice, the rights would return so schools can resell them. Schedules would keep traditional rivalry games to the maximum extent practicable. College football seasons would aim to finish by January 8 each year. The Army–Navy Game would keep a protected telecast window from 1 hour before kickoff to 30 minutes after the broadcast ends.
Grants to boost HBCU sports media
If enacted, a new program would fund 2‑ to 5‑year grants to HBCU‑related schools for broadband, media, IT, cybersecurity, training, and student connectivity. The agency would seek public comment within 120 days after the first appropriation and post award details within 30 days of grants. Grantees and the agency would file detailed reports on projects, costs, events enabled, and students trained. Reports could not rely only on device‑use counts.
Limits on mega‑conference mergers and buyouts
If enacted, any conference that reported more than $700,000,000 on its 2025 tax return (or later) would be barred from mergers, consolidations, or acquisitions that drop Football Bowl Subdivision membership below 75% or push its own membership above 20 schools. Any deal that breaks this rule would be void. The bill would not allow efficiency or “pro‑competitive” defenses to save a banned deal.
Recruiting windows and agent rules
If enacted, recruiting contact would be limited to sport‑specific windows that last 2 to 5 weeks after the last competition each year, unless the athlete opts in to contact outside those windows. Paying to induce transfers or enrollment in violation of these rules would be banned. Athletes could have an agent or lawyer without losing eligibility. Associations would keep a public list of registered and certified agents and could fine or decertify agents who break rules.
How this bill interacts with state laws
If enacted, the bill would override state or local laws that block compliance with its NIL, transfer, or eligibility rules. It would keep many state claims—like personal injury, wrongful death, sexual assault, fraud, harassment, hazing, and campus‑safety failures—so long as they do not conflict with the bill. Preemption would apply only as needed to allow compliance.
Stricter NIL deal checks and transparency
If enacted, schools, conferences, and related staff would be barred from paying athletes in ways that get around the revenue‑share cap. Most NIL deals would need a real business purpose and pay amounts like those paid to similar non‑student people. Paying recruits before enrollment would be banned, except reasonable costs to attend open development camps. Rights holders and sponsors would need signed certifications showing the school is not the source or funder and did not set the pay; schools would also certify if asked. Division I schools would report anonymized NIL data by July 1 each year, and associations would run a public fair‑market‑value NIL database by September 1 each year that protects personal information.
Congress review of athlete pay cap
If enacted, Congress would get 30 days to approve keeping the revenue‑share cap when it is up for renewal. Notice would be due at least 180 days before the cap expires. If approved, the cap would rise 4% a year for two years, then reset to 22% of Average Shared Revenue in year three, then two more years of 4% increases, and repeat every three years. All calculations would face a public, independent audit. If Congress does not approve in time, the cap, and any tied retention fund, would end as described.
Ombudsman, fairness, and student materials
If enacted, each athletic association would fund an independent Student Athlete Ombudsman office to give free, confidential help and education. Retaliation against students who use the office would be banned. Associations would give plain‑language materials on these rules to athletes, prospects, and their parents or guardians. Associations and conferences would also need comparable men’s and women’s standards for medical care, travel, meals, publicity, and event facilities.
More athlete voice and fair votes
If enacted, a new covered group’s bylaws would give each member one vote and add at least 10 student‑athlete voters. Big decisions would need two‑thirds approval, and any revenue split or voting‑power change would need a unanimous vote. At least one‑third of any rule‑making board would be current or recent student athletes, not counting school or association employees. Boards would also need fair seats for mid‑sized conferences (under $500,000,000 in prior‑year revenue).
New NIL and foreign money disclosures
If enacted, student athletes at Division I primary members would report any NIL deal over $600 within 5 days of signing, or within 30 days of getting more than $600 if not already reported. The $600 threshold adds all payments from the same source over 12 months and would adjust for inflation. People or groups mainly set up to support a school’s athletics, or lifetime donors over $50,000, would count as associated entities. Schools and athletic groups would also disclose foreign money over $600 tied to college sports within 30 days, with semiannual public updates and an annual report due August 1.
Key definitions and legal guardrails
If enacted, the bill would define a student athlete as a full‑time student making satisfactory progress who competes on a varsity team. It would define grant‑in‑aid as school aid up to cost of attendance, not compensation. It would list what does and does not count as compensation, including exclusions for Pell Grants, school‑funded health care, certain insurance, and normal outside wages. Title IX’s applicability would stay the same, and the bill would say it does not change whether athletes are employees. Lawsuits already filed would mostly not be affected, with some limited exceptions, and any part of Title I struck down would not void the rest.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
MO • R
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
VT • D
Sponsored 7/13/2026
Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 7/13/2026
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 8/5/2026
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 8/5/2026
Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
senate vote • 9/28/2026
On Passage of the Bill S. 4668
Yes: 77 • No: 22
senate vote • 9/24/2026
On the Cloture Motion S. 4668
Yes: 74 • No: 25
senate vote • 9/17/2026
On the Motion to Proceed S. 4668
Yes: 77 • No: 22
senate vote • 9/15/2026
On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 4668
Yes: 74 • No: 24