Overview
- The amended Protect College Sports Act, released Tuesday, preserves a voluntary FBS media‑pooling option that would allow schools to bundle and sell rights if 75% of programs opt in.
- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Big Ten leaders say the media‑pooling language, a ban on a Big Ten–SEC merger, and broad private rights to sue could expose conferences to litigation and limit their autonomy.
- Sponsors led by Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell intend to press the bill through a Senate Commerce Committee markup this week and seek floor action before Congress recesses in August.
- The amendment adds a new safeguard requiring Division I schools with at least $80 million in annual athletic revenue to keep women’s and Olympic sports at 2024–25 levels with limited exceptions.
- Support and opposition are split across the sports landscape: the NFL and some players’ unions back the bill for stability, while athlete‑advocacy groups and civil‑rights lawmakers warn the measure could leave equity and pay issues unresolved and invite court challenges.