The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee voted 19-9 on Thursday to advance a bipartisan bill aimed at overhauling college sports, sending the measure to the full Senate for consideration.
The Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) cleared the panel with support from 12 Republicans and seven Democrats. Seven Democrats and two Republicans—Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.)—voted against it.
The legislation would grant the NCAA limited antitrust protection and establish federal standards on the transfer portal, student-athlete compensation, and medical coverage. It would also require broadcasters to offer at least one free option for local football and basketball games.
The bill is the product of negotiations between committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), along with Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.). At the start of Thursday's markup, Cruz described the PCSA as a way to “preserve and strengthen our uniquely American system” of college athletics. He emphasized that the bill “focuses on broader principles we’re trying to protect: fair competition, broad opportunity, and a college sports system that remains open to more than a handful of the wealthiest programs.”
President Trump endorsed the legislation earlier this month, saying it would “stop the chaos” in college athletics. Former University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban told the Commerce panel that while the measure “isn’t perfect,” it represents a “serious effort to bring order to a system that badly needs fixing.”
However, the two most powerful conferences in college sports—the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference (SEC)—issued a joint statement Thursday declaring that “revisions are needed” before they can support the PCSA. “Despite our sustained engagement and good faith efforts, these critical revisions have not been accepted,” the statement read. “We are encouraged that several Commerce Committee members share our concerns and support these recommendations. We will continue working with stakeholders to ensure the PCSA delivers meaningful protections for student-athletes and lasting stability for college sports.”
The NCAA has backed the legislation, but the conference opposition underscores lingering divisions. Critics have also argued the bill sidelines athletes in favor of NCAA control, a sentiment echoed in a recent analysis of the Cantwell-Cruz bill.
The PCSA now heads to the Senate floor, where it faces an uncertain path amid broader debates over college sports governance and athlete rights. The bill’s future could also be shaped by ongoing concerns over gambling in college athletics, as highlighted by the Texas Tech QB Sorsby case.
