Legislation overhauling college sports faces a major test in the Senate

Ted Cruz bill to regulate college sports in NIL era advances

By Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune June 18, 2026 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz took a big bipartisan swing last month when he unveiled a compromise bill with Democrats to regulate college sports, a play he believes is the only path to saving the multibillion dollar industry from itself. The Protect College Sports Act, which Cruz wrote with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, after months of negotiation, cleared a key hurdle Thursday when it passed the Se…

College sports bill heading to Senate

A federal bill that would revamp college sports is heading to the full U.S. Senate for consideration.

The Big Ten and SEC don't like the college sports bill in Congress. Can they break away?

The Protect College Sports Act has moved forward with Senate committee approval. However, the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences oppose the bill, seeking revisions. This opposition fuels speculation about a potential split from the NCAA to form a super league.…

College sports bill heading to Senate for full vote

A federal bill that would revamp college sports is heading to the full U.S. Senate for consideration. The Protect College Sports Act would give the NCAA an antitrust exemption, which would enable the organization to set a limit for athlete payments and enforce rules about transfers and eligibility, including that of athletes who want to return to college after signing pro contracts. The proposed bill also would allow media rights to be sold nati…

Protect College Sports Act heads to Senate despite SEC, Big Ten opposition

KTALnews.com (KTAL/KMSS) - A bipartisan federal bill to stabilize college sports is heading to the U.S. Senate for a full vote after a key hurdle. The "Protect College Sports Act," led by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, aims to regulate payments to student-athletes, limit them to one [...]

Senate advances landmark Protect College Sports Act, ignoring SEC and Big Ten opposition with clock ticking – Democratic Accent

In a landmark moment for the Senate Commerce Committee, the Protect College Sports Act is now moving to a full vote that has already started the lobbying. As leaders from across college sports watched from afar, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) held court during a markup session on Thursday that ultimately took aim at those within the SEC and Big Ten conferences that have opposed the bill in its current form. “What we did to…