Big Ten and SEC Back the Protect College Sports Act: What's in the Deal
By faNILy Team ·
A day after it looked like the clock might run out, the two most powerful conferences in college sports said yes. The Big Ten and SEC voted Friday, July 31, to back the Protect College Sports Act after separate calls with their presidents and chancellors, according to CBS Sports. The breakthrough came on the issue that had held them up: how sponsor money tied to schools is treated under the cap.
Here's what's in it.
The money
According to CBS, the structure looks like this:
- $21.3 million in revenue sharing from the House settlement
- $22.5 million retention pool exception
- $5 million for NIL in non-revenue sports
CBS tallied that at $48.8 million in total annual player compensation a school could offer.
The fix that got them on board
The sticking point was "associated entities," the corporate sponsors and multimedia partners connected to a school. CBS reported the fix requires outside entities to certify that individual player deals are separate from institutional arrangements, with those deals subject to College Sports Commission review.
Sen. Eric Schmitt explained the worry to CBS. If schools tell partners to skip the school and pay specific players instead, "it never really shows up," he said. "That's how you end up with football rosters that are like double or triple potentially what the number is."
Other headline provisions
CBS listed several more pieces in the package:
- One guaranteed transfer without losing eligibility
- A prohibition on cutting women's and Olympic sports teams
- A ban on football coaches leaving mid-season for other programs
- An antitrust exemption for pooling media rights, which requires agreement from 75% of FBS schools
- A 19-team cap on membership in major conferences
Who's saying what
Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Commerce Committee, ended his statement with: "Let's save college sports." Sen. Maria Cantwell said "progress can be made in protecting women and Olympic athletes." CBS reported the Big 12 and ACC reiterated their backing in statements Friday night, with the Big 12 commissioner saying the league was "encouraged to see the Big Ten and SEC join."
What has to happen next
A lot, and fast. CBS reported the Majority Leader was expected to file for cloture as early as Monday, with a floor vote possible midweek, and that the summer recess begins next Friday. Schmitt's read on the timeline: "Once you get past Monday, it's over."
Even if the Senate moves, the bill would still have to get through the House before it could reach the president's desk.
The fan angle
For fans, this is the clearest picture yet of what a federal rulebook could look like. Caps, retention money, and tighter rules on sponsor deals all shape how athletes earn. But independent NIL, athletes making money from their own name and audience, stays part of the picture. That's the piece fans interact with most directly.