A massive college sports bill is coming — here’s what it targets

Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced bipartisan agreement on the *Protect College Sports Act of 2026*, a sweeping legislative proposal to reform college sports governance. Introduced on May 27, the bill aims to address name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, transfer rules, and fair competition in intercollegiate athletics while protecting student-athletes from exploitation. The legislation proposes stricter NIL regulations, including a $600 reporting threshold for deals (adjusted annually for inflation), a 5% cap on agent commissions, and oversight by the College Sports Commission, which approved nearly $250 million in NIL agreements from June 2025 to March 2026. Agents must register in the athlete’s state and certify with the Intercollegiate Athletic Association before representation, while institutions must notify athletes in writing of potential eligibility revocations. A key provision extends athlete eligibility to a five-year model, effectively barring professional players—including former NBA G League star Charles Bediako, who returned to Alabama in early 2026—from rejoining college teams unless they’ve earned prize money without signing binding contracts. Transfer rules would allow one-time transfers but require athletes to sit out a year unless triggered by a coaching change, alongside academic standards. The bill also targets the chaotic college football coaching carousel by prohibiting head coaches from recruiting, managing rosters, or negotiating NIL deals during the same season as a mid-season transition. Violations could disrupt the annual cycle of coaching firings and hires, which saw high-profile changes in 2025. The legislation seeks to balance athlete protections with competitive fairness while aligning with NCAA preferences for age-based eligibility reforms.