Ahead of a Wednesday hearing on the Protect College Sports Act, the Big Ten and SEC released a joint statement against the bill in its current state. The two leagues cited “critical issues” with the bipartisan legislation, introduced by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) last week.
After the bill’s introduction last week, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey both said they wanted to review the legislation before expressing support. The ACC’s Jim Phillips and the Big 12’s Brett Yormark, meanwhile, said they supported the bill.
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In Tuesday’s joint statement, the Big Ten and SEC spoke against the legislation as is currently written. While both conferences said they are in favor of a “sustainable national framework for college sports,” they plan to keep working with Cruz and Cantwell, as well as other members of Congress, to find improvements.
“The Big Ten Conference and the Southeastern Conference support a sustainable national framework for college sports – one with an effective transfer portal, clear eligibility standards, and protections and benefits for student-athletes,” the statement read. “While we appreciate the leadership of Senators Cruz and Cantwell in pursuing these shared goals, we do not support the Protect College Sports Act as drafted.
“The bill leaves critical issues unresolved. It does not meaningfully preempt the patchwork of state laws or provide the protections needed to make and enforce consistent rules, both essential to long-term stability in college athletics. It also shifts ongoing rulemaking to Congress, limiting the ability to adapt quickly as the landscape evolves. Rather than reducing litigation, the bill likely expands it without offering clear alternatives for dispute resolution. Finally, the bill alters the House settlement revenue sharing framework in a way that may result in fewer student-athletes receiving direct revenue share payments.
“We are committed to working with Senators Cruz and Cantwell and other members of Congress to improve this legislation so that it can provide lasting stability for college athletics.”
The Protect College Sports Act’s introduction came less than a week after the SCORE Act’s public collapse in the House and squarely in the middle of the SEC’s spring meetings in Destin, Fla. As a result, the legislation became a major point of discussion among the conference’s coaches, athletics directors, presidents and commissioner Greg Sankey.
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The bipartisan Senate bill takes aim at transfers and coach movement. It notably includes the “Lane Kiffin Rule,” which states coaches cannot leave their team before a season ends. While Kiffin’s name is not directly in the bill, Sen. Ted Cruz told Andy & Ari On3 his high-profile departure from Ole Miss for LSU played a role in adding the provision.
Perhaps the most important part of the legislation, though, is an option to pool media rights. A minimum threshold of 75% of the 138 FBS schools must be reached to get pool rights. Quick math shows that even if the Big Ten and SEC did not sign off, but the rest of FBS did, that figure would reach 75%.
A day after the bill’s introduction, the SEC pushed back on the idea and Sankey told reporters such those supporting the pooling of media rights “have no idea how hard those conversations would be.” As On3’s Andy Staples wrote, the SEC’s stance could have a major effect on the legislation.
Nick Saban among invitees to Senate hearing
A week after the Protect College Sports Act’s introduction, Sen. Ted Cruz announced a hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill. It will begin at 9 a.m. ET.
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is among those invited to attend as a witness. Others on the list include Notre Dame athletics director Pete Bevacqua, Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould and former West Virginia and Ohio State president Gordon Gee. Utah EDGE Lance Holtzclaw is also on the list.
“The Protect College Sports Act is bipartisan legislation designed to save a tradition that is currently in crisis – college sports,” Cruz said in a statement announcing the hearing. “The bill protects athletes and competition, enables coaches to build and sustain competitive programs, and safeguards traditional regional rivalries. It also affirms the rights of student athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, while preserving the unique American system of college athletics.
“But at the forefront, this legislation ensures the system remains focused on providing students with an education. We cannot allow college athletics to morph into a mini-NFL or NBA. The Protect College Sports act is a win for fans, athletes, schools, and the future of college sports.”
