The Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences reached an agreement Friday night to support a Senate bill aimed at regulating college sports. The move ends a tense week of negotiations and revives the bill’s prospects in the Senate, where it faces an uphill battle for passage.
School presidents from both leagues voted to back the legislation after receiving last-minute concessions on language related to third-party name, image, and likeness deals and the so-called “associated entities” that broker those arrangements between players and schools. While further details need to be finalized, supporters hope the bill can secure the 60 votes needed to halt debate and move to a final vote before the Senate recesses next Friday.
The summer deadline has increasingly become a critical target for the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan effort led by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. Cruz issued a statement thanking the leagues and calling for action to save college sports, while Cantwell expressed optimism about progress in protecting women and Olympic athletes and bringing the legislation closer to the president’s desk.
Late Thursday, former President Donald Trump also got involved, advocating for reforms in the industry that now pays players millions. His intervention helped push the negotiations forward, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
Texas Tech Regent Cody Campbell, a key figure in shaping the policy, called the leagues’ support a “major breakthrough” that moves the bill closer to Senate approval. The revised deal includes a proposed $27.5 million allotment for schools to retain players, in addition to the existing $21.3 million cap. This could significantly alter the House’s previous settlement, which set strict limits on payments from third-party entities.
Supporters seek stronger language to ensure third-party deals are genuinely outside the schools’ multimedia rights arrangements. Questions remain about whether the new cap aligns with the House’s directives and what changes might occur to the College Sports Commission, the main NIL enforcement agency.
Despite the progress, obstacles remain. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has been a vocal opponent. Other senators, such as Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., have warned that the bill as currently written could create chaos and limit opportunities for student-athletes. Even if the bill passes the Senate, it must still clear the House, which has struggled with similar legislation.
The day’s developments came shortly after NCAA losses in court cases involving athlete eligibility rules. NCAA President Charlie Baker called for quick passage of the legislation, while UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley expressed frustration, saying, “Somebody please come and fix college sports. It’s a complete (expletive) show.”
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
