Senate Passes Limits on Conference Realignment as ACC Schools Press House to Roll Back Rules

Overview

• The U.S. Senate approved the Protect College Sports Act by a 77-22 vote in its current form, which sets a 20-school cap for the largest conferences and requires a school switching covered leagues to sit three years as an independent.
• Leaders at Florida State, Miami, Clemson and the University of North Carolina sent a joint letter urging House leaders to raise the cap to 22 schools and remove the three-year independence requirement.
• More than a dozen House members from Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina have signaled support for changes and are preparing letters and lobbying that could force amendments when the House returns after the midterm recess.
• Supporters point to comments from Randy Levine saying the Big Ten and SEC have no plans to expand as evidence the caps would have limited practical effect, a claim opponents dispute.
• The schools’ push is shaped by high ACC exit fees and past lawsuits by FSU and Clemson over departure rules, and any House changes would require the Senate to consider the bill again once Congress reconvenes on November 9.