S. 4668

Protect College Sports Act of 2026

Sponsor: Ted Cruz

9 cosponsors
Follow this bill

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

Expand all

I Protections of student athletes and fair competition

Sec. 101. Name, image, and likeness protections Changed · Sep 28

Where this section came from

  1. Jun 2, 2026 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Jun 2
  2. 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

In plain English: what this change does

The main change is to who student athletes must report their name, image, and likeness deals to, and how quickly. Under the new wording, athletes must report to both their school and their athletic association (or an entity that association controls under a named court settlement), and a deal over $600 must be reported within 5 days instead of 30 days, with the amount and source of the money now included. The rule that applies to recruited athletes is changed in the same way, so they report to the school they enroll in and their athletic association.

Other changes are smaller: the bill now says an institution can release athlete information when needed to comply with this Act, and the Division I limit now covers athletes at schools whose primary membership is in Division I. The rule on adjusting the $600 threshold for inflation is also reworded so the same adjustment applies to the amount in the exception.

Written by AI from the two versions below; it can be wrong. How it's written

What changed in the text

… 13 unchanged passages …

(1) In general. All student athletes shall report to their institution — and their intercollegiate athletic association, or to an entity designated by their intercollegiate athletic association and under the control of that intercollegiate athletic association pursuant to 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)— ( A) not later than 30 5 days after entering into a name, image, and likeness agreement, the terms of any such agreement , including the amount and source, that exceeds $600 in value, including multiple payments, remunerations, or benefits from the same entity that exceeds a total of $600 over a 12-month period; and

… 1 unchanged passage …

(2) Mandatory disclosures by recruited athletes. With respect to a student athlete or prospective student athlete who is recruited to attend, but is not yet enrolled in, an institution, the student athlete or prospective student athlete shall report to the institution — at which the student athlete enrolls and their intercollegiate athletic association, or to an entity designated by that intercollegiate athletic association and under the control of that intercollegiate athletic association pursuant to 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)—

… 4 unchanged passages …

(B) Adjustment for inflation. An The intercollegiate athletic association shall adjust the amount described in clause subparagraph ( i A ) shall be adjusted for inflation by the percent increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor for the most recent 12-month period for which applicable data is available. (4) Release of information. Except as provided in section 104 or as necessary to comply with this Act , an institution may not release any information provided that by would identify a student athlete or prospective student athlete in a disclosure under paragraph (1) or (2) without the express written consent of the student athlete, prospective student athlete, athlete agent of the student athlete or prospective student athlete, or, in case of a minor, the parent or legal guardian of the minor. (5) Limitation. This subsection shall apply only to Division student I athletes and prospective student athletes of institutions whose primary membership is in Division I, as defined by bylaw 20.9 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or a successor bylaw , and student athletes or prospective student athletes of such institutions .

… 3 unchanged passages …

In plain English

This section lets college athletes earn money from their name, image, and likeness, and bars schools, conferences, and athletic associations from blocking that or cutting scholarships because of it. Athletes must report to their school and athletic association any deal worth more than $600 (or any payment from one source that adds up to more than $600 over 12 months) within set deadlines, though this reporting applies only to Division I schools and the $600 threshold rises with inflation. The section also requires schools to keep an athlete's identity out of these reports unless the athlete, their agent, or a parent or guardian consents, and it requires athletic associations to provide educational materials about these rules to athletes and their families.

Written by AI from the text below; it can be wrong. How it's written

(a) Student athlete name, image, and likeness compensation

(1) In general. Except as provided in this title, an institution, conference, intercollegiate athletic association, or any representative of such an entity may not—

(A) restrict the ability of a student athlete, group of student athletes, or prospective student athlete—

(i) to market or earn compensation for the value of their name, image, or likeness rights; or

(ii) to enter into a name, image, and likeness agreement;

(B) restrict the eligibility for intercollegiate athletic competition for a student athlete or prospective student athlete on the basis of the student athlete or prospective student athlete entering into a name, image, and likeness agreement or marketing or earning compensation for the value of their name, image, or likeness;

(C) unless otherwise required by law, limit the eligibility or opportunity of a student athlete or prospective student athlete to apply for or receive a grant-in-aid, including the amount, duration, or renewal of such grant-in-aid, on the basis of the student athlete or prospective student athlete entering into a name, image, and likeness agreement, or marketing or earning compensation for the value of their name, image, or likeness; or

(D) unless otherwise required by law, revoke, reduce, or decline to renew a grant-in-aid for a student athlete or prospective student athlete based on the student athlete or prospective student athlete entering into a name, image, and likeness agreement or marketing or earning compensation for the value of their name, image, or likeness.

(2) Consent and compensation for group use. An institution, conference, intercollegiate athletic association, collective, third party, or any representative thereof, may not use the name, image, or likeness of any group of student athletes to sell or promote any product or service unless the institution, conference, athletic association, collective, or third party, as the case may be, obtains an agreement from each member of the group for that purpose.

(3) Exceptions

(A) Certain agreements. An institution may restrict the eligibility for intercollegiate athletic competition of a student athlete or prospective student athlete who enters into a name, image, and likeness agreement that violates the code of student conduct of the institution that applies to all students enrolled at the institution.

(B) Certain uses. An institution may restrict the eligibility for intercollegiate athletic competition of a student athlete or prospective student athlete if, in connection with a name, image, and likeness agreement, the student athlete or prospective student athlete uses a facility, uniform, equipment, registered or unregistered trademark, copyright-protected product, or the official logo, mark, or other indicia of the institution without the express consent of the institution.

(b) Mandatory disclosures by student athletes

(1) In general. All student athletes shall report to their institution and their intercollegiate athletic association, or to an entity designated by their intercollegiate athletic association and under the control of that intercollegiate athletic association pursuant to 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)—

(A) not later than 5 days after entering into a name, image, and likeness agreement, the terms of any such agreement, including the amount and source, that exceeds $600 in value, including multiple payments, remunerations, or benefits from the same entity that exceeds a total of $600 over a 12-month period; and

(B) to the extent not reported under subparagraph (A), not later than 30 days after receiving compensation for the name, image, or likeness of the student athlete, the amount and source of any such compensation that exceeds $600, including multiple payments, remunerations, or benefits from the same entity that exceeds a total of $600 over a 12-month period.

(2) Mandatory disclosures by recruited athletes. With respect to a student athlete or prospective student athlete who is recruited to attend, but is not yet enrolled in, an institution, the student athlete or prospective student athlete shall report to the institution at which the student athlete enrolls and their intercollegiate athletic association, or to an entity designated by that intercollegiate athletic association and under the control of that intercollegiate athletic association pursuant to 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)—

(A) the terms of any current or ongoing name, image, and likeness agreement that exceeds $600 in value, including multiple payments, remunerations, or benefits from the same entity that exceeds a total of $600 over a 12-month period; and

(B) to the extent not reported under subparagraph (A), the amount and source of any current or ongoing name, image, and likeness compensation that exceeds $600, including multiple payments, remunerations, or benefits from the same person that exceeds a total of $600 over a 12-month period.

(3) Exception

(A) In general. Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to either marketing or earning compensation for the value of the name, image, and likeness rights of a student athlete or to the compensation within a name, image, and likeness agreement in which a student athlete receives less than $600, including multiple payments, remunerations, or benefits from the same person that totals less than $600 over a 12-month period.

(B) Adjustment for inflation. The amount described in subparagraph (A) shall be adjusted for inflation by the percent increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor for the most recent 12-month period for which applicable data is available.

(4) Release of information. Except as provided in section 104 or as necessary to comply with this Act, an institution may not release any information that would identify a student athlete or prospective student athlete in a disclosure under paragraph (1) or (2) without the express written consent of the student athlete, prospective student athlete, athlete agent of the student athlete or prospective student athlete, or, in case of a minor, the parent or legal guardian of the minor.

(5) Limitation. This subsection shall apply only to student athletes and prospective student athletes of institutions whose primary membership is in Division I, as defined by bylaw 20.9 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or a successor bylaw.

(c) Name, image, or likeness compensation by institutions. Subject to the requirements of this title, an institution, intercollegiate athletic association, conference, collective, associated entity, or third party, may pay, provide, or facilitate compensation to a student athlete for the use of the name, image, or likeness of the student athlete.

(d) Right to representation. An institution, intercollegiate athletic association, or conference may not restrict the eligibility for intercollegiate athletic competition, or any other event or activity relating to intercollegiate athletic competition, of a prospective student athlete or student athlete based on the prospective student athlete or student athlete having obtained an athlete agent or legal representative.

(e) Educational resources regarding this title. An intercollegiate athletic association shall provide student athletes and prospective student athletes and the parents or guardians of student athletes or prospective student athletes with educational materials relating to this title.

II Sports broadcasting

III HBCU Sports Media and Connectivity Program