Senate passes Protect College Sports Act in bipartisan vote

The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act on Monday in a 77-22 bipartisan vote, advancing legislation that would establish national rules for college athletics and expand the NCAA’s authority to enforce them.

The bill would grant the NCAA limited protection from antitrust lawsuits, restore its five-year eligibility rule and impose limits on athlete transfers. It would also regulate compensation for athletes’ name, image and likeness rights and codify a 2025 court settlement allowing colleges to pay players directly. Under that settlement, schools may share up to $21.5 million in revenue with athletes. The legislation also includes health and labor protections for college athletes.

Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., led negotiations on the measure for more than a year. Supporters, including the NCAA, major schools and conferences, and President Donald Trump, say the legislation would reduce litigation and bring stability to college sports.

Opponents, including labor and athletes’ groups, the NAACP and some senators, argue that the bill would strengthen the NCAA while restricting athletes without giving them an equal role in governing the system.

The legislation now moves to the House, which is in recess until after the November midterm elections. Its prospects there remain uncertain. If both chambers do not pass the measure by the end of the year, lawmakers would have to restart the process in the next Congress.