S. 4668
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
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
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Jun 2, 2026 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 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
In plain English: what this change does
This section changes the existing Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act in several ways. The main differences are: the definition of agreement in paragraph (1) is narrowed so that it covers only written agreements rather than oral or written ones; the private right of action, which lets student athletes sue, now refers to a "pre-dispute" arbitration agreement with lowercase wording and a court award of fees is no longer limited to cases where the defendant is not an institution; and section 10 drops its final clause that tied a contract's term to the athlete's eligibility when the other party is an institution, intercollegiate athletic association, conference, associated entity, or collective.
Written by AI from the two versions below; it can be wrong. How it's written
… 2 unchanged passages …
(A) in paragraph (
1), by striking an oral or written agreement and inserting a written agreement; (B) in paragraph (
5), by inserting before the period the following: and includes any name, image, and likeness agreement as defined in section 100 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026; (
B
C
) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (9) as paragraphs (7) through (10), respectively; and (
C
D
) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
… 24 unchanged passages …
(c) Attorney’s fees and costs. In a civil action brought under subsection (a) in which the defendant is not an institution (as defined in section 100 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026), the court may, in its discretion, award reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation costs
to the prevailing party
. (d) Invalidity of pre-
Dispute
dispute
arbitration agreements and pre-
Dispute
dispute
joint action waivers.
… 24 unchanged passages …
10. Endorsement contract requirements.
(a) Requirements for endorsement contracts.
An endorsement contract made in interstate or foreign commerce is, at the option of the student athlete, void from the inception of such contract if such contract does not satisfy the following requirements:
… 9 unchanged passages …
(4) The contract is not for a term that extends beyond the eligibility of the student athlete to participate in intercollegiate sports
, if such contract is between a student athlete and an institution, intercollegiate athletic association, conference, associated entity, or collective
.
]
(b) Clerical amendments. The table of contents for the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act is amended—
and
… 4 unchanged passages …
; and
… 4 unchanged passages …
In plain English
This section amends the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act in several ways. It requires agent contracts to be written, adds new prohibited practices for athlete agents (such as charging fees over 5 percent of an endorsement deal, signing contracts longer than a student's eligibility, and making false statements), and lets student athletes sue for violations and seek voided contracts and damages. It also adds new rules requiring agents to register with a state and include specific terms in their contracts, and requiring endorsement contracts to meet listed requirements or be voidable by the athlete.
Written by AI from the text below; it can be wrong. How it's written
(a) In general. The Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (15 U.S.C. 7801 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 2 (15 U.S.C. 7801)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking an oral or written agreement and inserting a written agreement;
(B) in paragraph (5), by inserting before the period the following: and includes any name, image, and likeness agreement as defined in section 100 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026;
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (9) as paragraphs (7) through (10), respectively; and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
(6) Intercollegiate athletic association. The term intercollegiate athletic association has the meaning given that term in section 100 of Protect College Sports Act of 2026
(2) in section 3 (15 U.S.C. 7802)—
(A) in subsection (a)—
(i) in paragraph (2), by striking or at the end;
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
(4) enter into an agency contract or represent a student athlete in a manner that violates section 9;
(5) charge a student athlete a fee in connection with an endorsement contract that exceeds 5 percent of the value of the endorsement contract;
(6) enter into an agency contract with an athlete for a term that extends beyond the eligibility of the student athlete to participate in intercollegiate sport;
(7) make any materially false, deceptive, or fraudulent representation as an athlete agent, including any materially false, deceptive, or fraudulent statement to a student athlete or prospective student athlete that misrepresents the existence, nature, or value of a name, image, or likeness opportunity the athlete agent can arrange on behalf of the student athlete or prospective student athlete through recruitment or transfer to an institution (as defined in section 100 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026); or
(8) make a materially false, deceptive, or fraudulent statement in the application for registration as an athlete agent.
; and
(B) in subsection (b)(3), by striking Warning to Student Athlete: If you agree orally or in writing to be represented by an agent now or in the future you may lose your eligibility to compete as a student athlete in your sport.;
(3) by inserting after section 5 (15 U.S.C. 7804) the following:
5A. Private right of action
(a) In general. Any current or former student athlete alleging a violation of paragraphs (4) through (8) of section 3(a), section 9, or section 10 may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States or in an appropriate State court.
(b) Relief. In a civil action brought under subsection (a) in which the plaintiff prevails, the court may award—
(1) a declaratory judgment that a name, image, or likeness agreement (as defined in section 100 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026) or an agency contract, as applicable, is null and void; and
(2) actual damages.
(c) Attorney’s fees and costs. In a civil action brought under subsection (a) in which the defendant is not an institution (as defined in section 100 of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026), the court may, in its discretion, award reasonable attorney’s fees and litigation costs.
(d) Invalidity of pre-dispute arbitration agreements and pre-dispute joint action waivers
(1) In general. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no pre-dispute arbitration agreement or pre-dispute joint action waiver shall be valid or enforceable against a student athlete with respect to a dispute arising under this Act.
(2) Applicability. Any determination as to whether or how paragraph (1) applies to any dispute shall be made by a court, rather than an arbitrator, without regard to whether the agreement or waiver that is the subject of the dispute purports to delegate such determination to an arbitrator.
(3) Definitions. In this subsection:
(A) Pre-dispute arbitration agreement. The term pre-dispute arbitration agreement means any agreement to arbitrate a dispute that has not arisen at the time of the making of the agreement.
(B) Pre-dispute joint-action waiver. The term pre-dispute joint-action waiver means an agreement, whether or not part of a pre-dispute arbitration agreement, that would prohibit, or waive the right of, one of the parties to the agreement to participate in a joint, class, or collective action in a judicial, arbitral, administrative, or other forum, concerning a dispute that has not yet arisen at the time of the making of the agreement.
; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
9. Registration of athlete agents and other requirements
(a) In general. An athlete agent who seeks to represent a student athlete in an endorsement contract shall—
(1) register with a State before representing a student athlete for an endorsement contract; and
(2) enter into an agency contract with the student athlete before providing representation in an endorsement contract.
(b) Registration established. An individual is deemed to be registered with a State for purposes of this section if the individual is—
(1) a registered professional sports agent with a professional sports league or players association, in good standing; or
(2) registered and certified under the All State Uniform Agent Acts in the State in which the agent operates, in good standing.
(c) Certification to intercollegiate athletic associations
(1) Requirement. An athlete agent that represents a student athlete shall certify to each applicable intercollegiate athletic association that the athlete agent is registered with a State.
(2) Prohibition. It is unlawful for an individual to certify to an intercollegiate athletic association that the individual is an athlete agent if the individual is not registered with a State.
(d) Requirements for agency contracts. To be a valid contract, an agency contract shall—
(1) state the name of each party to the contract;
(2) state the term of the contract;
(3) state the registration information for the athlete agent; and
(4) state the fee or commission charged by the athlete agent.
10. Endorsement contract requirements. An endorsement contract made in interstate or foreign commerce is, at the option of the student athlete, void from the inception of such contract if such contract does not satisfy the following requirements:
(1) The contract is in writing.
(2) The contract plainly states that the student athlete has the right to obtain or retain an athlete agent or legal representation with respect to the contract.
(3) The contract contains—
(A) a description of services rendered;
(B) the names of each party to the contract;
(C) the terms of the contract;
(D) the amount of compensation to be provided to the student athlete under the contract;
(E) a provision specifying the circumstance or event that would result in the termination of the contract due to nonperformance of obligations by the student athlete or other parties to the contract; and
(F) a provision specifying that the validity and effectiveness of the contract, and the provision of compensation to the student athlete under the contract, is not conditioned upon any express or implicit requirement that the student athlete enroll or remain enrolled at an institution or reside in a particular location within the United States, unless the party making the contract with the student athlete is an institution, conference, associated entity, or collective affiliated with the institution and the contract is entered into after the student athlete has enrolled at such institution.
(4) The contract is not for a term that extends beyond the eligibility of the student athlete to participate in intercollegiate sports.
(b) Clerical amendments. The table of contents for the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act is amended—
(1) by inserting after the item relating to section 5 the following:
Sec. 5A. Private right of action.
; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
Sec. 9. Registration of athlete agents and other requirements. Sec. 10. Endorsement contract requirements.
II Sports broadcasting
III HBCU Sports Media and Connectivity Program