Big Ten and SEC Conferences Endorse Senate's Protect College Sports Act After Last-Minute Negotiations

The Big Ten and SEC have formally endorsed the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act after intense, last-minute negotiations involving Senators Ted Cruz, Maria Cantwell, Eric Schmitt, and the Trump administration. The breakthrough establishes a $48.8 million spending ceiling—including a $22.5 million athlete retention pool—and introduces strict attestation rules to prevent schools from bypassing revenue-sharing limits. With the two most powerful conferences on board, Senate leaders are racing to bring the bill to a vote before the August recess begins on August 7, 2026.

Protect College Sports Act negotiations

• ▪The Protect College Sports Act was introduced in May 2026 by Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Maria Cantwell.
• ▪The Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences reached an agreement on July 31, 2026, to support the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act after intense negotiations.
• ▪President Donald Trump and the White House actively engaged in negotiations to push the parties back to the table and secure the agreement.

Senate procedural deadlines

• ▪The Senate is scheduled to begin a five-week summer recess on August 7, 2026.
• ▪The Protect College Sports Act requires at least 60 votes in the 100-member Senate to overcome a filibuster and advance.
• ▪Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected to file for cloture as early as August 3, 2026, to bring the bill to a vote before the summer recess.

Bill provisions on NIL caps

• ▪The bill requires an attestation process for outside sponsors and multimedia rights partners to certify that NIL deals are separate from institutional funds.
• ▪The Protect College Sports Act establishes a $22.5 million athlete retention pool and $5 million for women's and non-revenue sports, raising the total spending ceiling to $48.8 million.
• ▪The legislation grants the NCAA and athletic conferences a limited antitrust exemption to regulate athlete eligibility, transfers, and compensation.

Conference expansion restrictions

• ▪The Protect College Sports Act caps power conference membership at 19 schools, allowing the Big Ten to add one team and the SEC to add three.
• ▪The bill mandates that any school moving from one Power Four conference to another must operate as an independent for a five-year period.

SEC endorsement

• ▪The Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors voted to formally support the Protect College Sports Act on a conference call on July 31, 2026.
• ▪Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey participated in extensive negotiations and brought Senator Eric Schmitt onto the conference call to secure the league's endorsement.

Big Ten endorsement

• ▪The Big Ten Conference presidents voted to support the Protect College Sports Act on July 31, 2026, following separate conference calls.
• ▪Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti engaged in constant communication with conference officials and Senator Ted Cruz to resolve language issues before the vote.