S. 4668
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
In plain English: what this bill does
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 would set national rules for college athletes' name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments, athlete welfare, college sports broadcasting, and HBCU media infrastructure. It would bar schools and groups from blocking athletes from earning money from their own name or image, require athletes and schools to report certain payments and deals, and cap school revenue-sharing with athletes at a set amount, with a temporary retention fund above that cap. It would also add health, safety, academic and transfer protections, let athletes sue for certain violations, give antitrust protection to many college sports rules, allow a joint TV-rights sales entity for college sports, and create a $180 million yearly grant program for HBCU broadcast and broadband upgrades.
Who this affects
- **Student athletes (current and prospective)**: may earn money from their name, image and likeness, must report deals over $600 to their school and athletic association, and gain new health, transfer, academic and grant-in-aid protections.
- **Schools (mainly NCAA Division I)**: may pay athletes for name, image and likeness within the revenue share cap, must file yearly reports on athlete payments and program finances, must provide medical coverage and health and safety measures, and must keep women's and Olympic sports at 2024–2025 levels.
- **Intercollegiate athletic associations and conferences**: must run an agent registry and a searchable fair-market-value database, set up an Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman, reserve at least one-third of governing board seats for current or recent student athletes, and enforce the new rules.
- **Athlete agents**: must register with a state, certify compliance with association rules, may not charge fees above 5 percent of an endorsement deal, and may be decertified for violations.
Words to know
- **Revenue share cap**: the limit on how much a school may pay athletes directly, set by a court settlement and continued under this bill unless Congress acts.
- **Retention fund**: an extra amount a school may pay above the cap to keep athletes who have finished at least one season there.
- **Collective**: a group, such as a booster organization, that gives money to or for athletes or a school's athletic program.
- **Antitrust laws**: federal and state laws against business practices that limit competition, such as agreements to fix prices.
For example
Made-up numbers: A school's revenue share cap is $10,000,000 for the year, and it wants to pay $2,000,000 above that to keep a player through the retention fund. The bill allows up to $22,500,000 above the cap, so the school may pay the extra $2,000,000 because $2,000,000 is less than $22,500,000.
- Step one: Check the cap room: $10,000,000 + $2,000,000 = $12,000,000 in total.
- Step two: Compare the extra amount to the limit: $2,000,000 is less than $22,500,000.
- Step three: The payment is allowed under the retention fund for that year.
Written by AI from the bill's text below; it can be wrong. How it's written
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement).
First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.
The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.
The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season.
Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment.
The bill generally prohibits Division I conferences from reducing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams that a member institution must sponsor. Specifically, large institutions ($80 million or more in annual athletics revenue) must offer and maintain at least as many grant-in-aid opportunities and roster spots for sports that do not generate positive net revenue as the institution provided during academic year 2024-25. The bill provides for a waiver of this requirement under certain circumstances of financial hardship and the requirements expire nine years after the enactment of the bill.
Additionally, the bill establishes (subject to specified conditions) a limited antitrust exemption for institutions or conferences that form joint agreements to transfer their sports telecasting rights to a third party. Such an agreement requires participation from at least 75% of the institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Text of the bill
I Protections of student athletes and fair competition
Where this section came from
Not in the first version (Introduced in Senate, Jun 2).
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Sep 28, 2026 · Engrossed in Senate S.Amdt. 6779: To improve the bill. Official page › S.Amdt. 6777: To improve the bill. Official page › S.Amdt. 6776: In the nature of a substitute. Official page › S.Amdt. 6831: To modify the prohibition on certain conference mergers and acquisitions. Official page › S.Amdt. 6830: To require the disclosure of foreign financing of intercollegiate athletics. Official page › S.Amdt. 6828: To modify the provision relating to the relationship of this Act to existing law. Official page › On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed — Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to, 74–24 · Roll Call 235On the Motion to Proceed — Motion to Proceed Agreed to, 77–22 · Roll Call 236On the Cloture Motion — Cloture Motion Agreed to, 70–21 · Roll Call 240On the Amendment — Amendment Agreed to, 77–23 · Roll Call 242On the Cloture Motion — Cloture Motion Agreed to, 74–25 · Roll Call 243On the Amendment — Amendment Agreed to, 96–1 · Roll Call 245On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 1–94 · Roll Call 246On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 42–54 · Roll Call 247On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 49–50 · Roll Call 248On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 47–52 · Roll Call 249On Passage of the Bill — Bill Passed, 77–22 · Roll Call 250
(a) Continuation upon congressional approval
(1) Cessation absent approval. Except as provided in paragraph (2), if the covered settlement agreement expires or terminates but no joint resolution of approval relating to the notice of the expiration or termination is enacted into law during the applicable congressional approval period, the provisions of section 114 relating to the revenue share cap, and, notwithstanding section 114(a)(2)(C), the retention fund, shall—
(A) in the case of an expiration—
(i) cease to have force or effect on the date of such expiration, if the applicable congressional approval period ends before that date; or
(ii) if the applicable congressional approval period ends after the date of such expiration, at the end of the applicable congressional approval period; or
(B) in the case of a termination, remain in effect without interruption notwithstanding such termination until, and cease to have force or effect at, the end of the applicable congressional approval period.
(2) Continuation upon approval. If a joint resolution of approval relating to the notice of the expiration or termination is enacted into law, the provisions of section 114 relating to the revenue share cap and, only if specified in the joint resolution of approval, the retention fund, in effect immediately before such expiration or termination or at the time the notice is provided to Congress pursuant to subsection (b), subject to paragraph (3), shall continue in effect without interruption beginning on the date of such expiration or termination.
(3) Recalculation of revenue share cap dollar amount. In the first 2 years following a continuation under paragraph (2), the revenue share cap shall increase by 4 percent each year over the previous year’s amount. In the third year following a continuation under paragraph (2), and every 3 years thereafter, the revenue share cap shall be recalculated based on 22 percent of the Average Shared Revenue based on the most recent Membership Financial Reporting System Reports available, or, if the covered settlement agreement is modified, pursuant to the amendment provision specified in paragraph 55 of that settlement, pursuant to the calculation process in effect immediately before the expiration or termination of the covered settlement agreement or at the time the notice is provided to Congress pursuant to subsection (b). In each of the 2 years following each such recalculation, the revenue share cap shall increase by 4 percent each year over the previous year’s amount. For purposes of this paragraph, all information used to calculate the revenue share cap pursuant to the covered settlement agreement, or as modified pursuant to the amendment provision specified in paragraph 55 of that settlement, shall be subject to a publicly available, independent third-party audit to verify the accuracy of such information for purposes of complying with this subsection.
(b) Notice to Congress
(1) Scheduled expiration. Not later than 180 calendar days before the date on which the covered settlement agreement is scheduled to expire, the defendant parties, or in the case of disagreement, a majority of defendant parties, to the covered settlement agreement shall transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written notice of the scheduled expiration. If the scheduled expiration date is established less than 180 calendar days before that date, any defendant party to the covered settlement agreement shall transmit the notice not later than 1 calendar day after the scheduled expiration date is established.
(2) Early termination. Not later than 1 calendar day after the date on which the defendant parties to the covered settlement become aware of a court order that provides for the termination of the covered settlement agreement before its scheduled expiration, any defendant party to the covered settlement agreement shall transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written notice of the termination.
(3) Contents. A notice under this subsection shall include—
(A) the scheduled, expected, or actual date of the expiration or termination, if known, and the basis for the expiration or termination; and
(B) the dollar amounts and material terms of the revenue share cap in effect, or expected to be in effect, immediately before the expiration or termination.
(4) Date of receipt. Congress receives a notice under this subsection on the date on which both the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives receive the notice. In the event a notice is not provided to Congress under this subsection, notice shall be deemed to have been received by Congress not later than 3 calendar days after the date of the expiration or termination of the covered settlement agreement.
(5) Deemed receipt. Notwithstanding paragraph (4), for purposes of this section, a notice required under this subsection received after the expiration or termination of the covered settlement agreement shall be deemed to have been received by Congress on the date on which covered settlement agreement expired or terminated.
(c) Joint resolution of approval
(1) Applicable congressional approval period. With respect to a notice under subsection (b), the term applicable congressional approval period means the 30-calendar-day period beginning on the date on which Congress receives the notice, except that the congressional approval period shall immediately terminate upon the passage a of a joint resolution of approval by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(2) Joint resolution of approval. For purposes of this section, the term joint resolution of approval means only any joint resolution—
(A) that is introduced not later than 10 calendar days after the date on which Congress receives the notice under subsection (b) to which the joint resolution relates;
(B) that does not have a preamble;
(C) the title of which is either of the following:
(i) Joint resolution approving the continuation of the revenue share cap and retention fund under the Protect College Sports Act of 2026; or
(ii) Joint resolution approving the continuation of the revenue share cap under the Protect College Sports Act of 2026; and
(D) the sole matter after the resolving clause of which is either of the following:
(i) for a joint resolution with a title described in subparagraph (C)(i): That Congress approves, under section 115 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, the continuation, after the expiration or termination described in the notice received by Congress on __________, of the revenue share cap and retention fund in effect immediately before such expiration or termination or at the time the notice was provided to Congress pursuant to subsection (b) of that section, and of the provisions of section 114 of such Act relating to that cap and fund.; or
(ii) for a joint resolution with a title described in subparagraph (C)(ii): That Congress approves, under section 115 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, the continuation, after the expiration or termination described in the notice received by Congress on __________, of the revenue share cap in effect immediately before such expiration or termination or at the time the notice was provided to Congress pursuant to subsection (b) of that section, and of the provisions of section 114 of such Act relating to that cap..
(3) Date in resolving text. The date inserted in the blank in paragraph (2)(D)(i) or (2)(D)(ii) shall be the date on which Congress receives the notice under subsection (b) to which the joint resolution relates.
(4) Introduction. A joint resolution of approval may be introduced in either House of Congress by any Member of that House.
(d) Fast track consideration in House of Representatives
(1) Reconvening. Upon receipt of a notice under subsection (b), the Speaker of the House of Representatives, if the House would otherwise be adjourned, shall notify the Members of the House that, pursuant to this section, the House shall convene not later than the second calendar day after receipt of the notice.
(2) Referral, reporting, and discharge. A joint resolution of approval introduced in the House of Representatives shall be referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The committee shall report the joint resolution to the House not later than 10 calendar days after the date on which Congress receives the notice under subsection (b) to which the joint resolution relates. If the committee fails to report the joint resolution within that period, the committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be referred to the appropriate calendar.
(3) Proceeding to consideration. After the committee referred to in paragraph (2) reports a joint resolution of approval to the House or is discharged from its consideration, it shall be in order, not later than the 16th day after the date on which Congress receives the notice under subsection (b) to which the joint resolution relates, to move to proceed to consider the joint resolution in the House. All points of order against the motion are waived. Such a motion shall not be in order after the House has disposed of a motion to proceed on the joint resolution. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without intervening motion. The motion shall not be debatable. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
(4) Consideration. The joint resolution shall be considered as read. All points of order against the joint resolution and against its consideration are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint resolution to its passage without intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the joint resolution shall not be in order.
(e) Fast track consideration in Senate
(1) Reconvening. Upon receipt of a notice under subsection (b), if the Senate has adjourned or recessed for more than 2 days, the majority leader of the Senate, after consultation with the minority leader of the Senate, shall notify the Members of the Senate that, pursuant to this section, the Senate shall convene not later than the fifteenth calendar day after receipt of the notice.
(2) Placement on calendar. Upon introduction in the Senate, a joint resolution of approval shall be placed immediately on the calendar.
(3) Floor consideration
(A) In general. It is in order at any time during the period beginning on the 10th day after the date on which Congress receives the notice under subsection (b) to which the joint resolution relates to move to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution. The motion to proceed is privileged and not debatable. All points of order against the joint resolution and against consideration of the joint resolution are waived. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution is agreed to, the joint resolution shall remain the unfinished business until disposed of.
(B) Debate. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the joint resolution shall be debatable and shall be subject to rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate. If cloture is invoked on the joint resolution, post-cloture consideration of the joint resolution shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be divided equally between the majority and minority leaders or their designees. After cloture is invoked, a motion further to limit debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit, the joint resolution is not in order.
(C) Vote on passage. After cloture is invoked on the joint resolution, the vote on passage shall occur immediately following the conclusion of the period of post-cloture consideration under subparagraph (B) and, if requested in accordance with the rules of the Senate, a single quorum call.
(D) Rulings of the chair on procedure. Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate to the procedure relating to a joint resolution shall be decided without debate.
(f) Rules relating to Senate and House of Representatives
(1) Coordination with action by other House. If, before the passage by one House of a joint resolution of approval of that House, that House receives from the other House a joint resolution of approval relating to the same notice under subsection (b), the following procedures shall apply:
(A) The joint resolution of the other House shall not be referred to a committee.
(B) With respect to the joint resolution of the House receiving the joint resolution—
(i) the procedure in that House shall be the same as if no joint resolution had been received from the other House; but
(ii) the vote on passage shall be on the joint resolution of the other House.
(2) Treatment of joint resolution of other House. If one House fails to introduce or consider a joint resolution of approval under this section, the joint resolution of approval of the other House shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures under this section.
(3) Treatment of companion measures. If, following passage of a joint resolution of approval in the Senate, the Senate then receives the companion measure from the House of Representatives, the companion measure shall not be debatable.
(4) Rules of House of Representatives and Senate. This subsection and subsections (c), (d), and (e) are enacted by Congress—
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such are deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in that House in the case of a joint resolution of approval, and supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent with such rules; and
(B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change the rules, so far as relating to the procedure of that House, at any time, in the same manner and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.
(g) Covered settlement agreement defined. In this section, the term covered settlement agreement means the Injunctive Relief Settlement Agreement approved by the court in In Re College Athlete NIL Litigation, No. 20–cv–03919 (N.D. Cal. June 6, 2025) or as modified pursuant to the amendment provision specified in paragraph 55 of that settlement.
II Sports broadcasting
III HBCU Sports Media and Connectivity Program