Overview
- Senators Cory Booker and Chris Murphy filed an amendment to the Protect College Sports Act that would bar institutions from paying a varsity coach more than $5,000,000 per year on contracts agreed to after the law takes effect.
- The amendment's text explicitly says 'An institution may not provide compensation to a coach of a varsity sports team that exceeds $5,000,000 per year' and limits its reach to contracts signed on or after enactment.
- Public data show the cap would bite into current market pay because USA Today's salary database reports 47 coaches earned $5 million or more last season and several coaches make $10 million or more.
- Legal analysts warn a statutory pay cap would likely prompt antitrust challenges by arguing it artificially restricts competition for coaching services.
- More than 35 other amendments have been filed, and reporters say this salary-cap proposal is unlikely to be adopted while it could create procedural friction that delays final Senate action and shifts any House vote until after the midterm elections.