SEC and Big Ten Review Revised Protect College Sports Act as Senate Vote Looms

Revised language for the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act has reached conference commissioners for their review as legislative momentum builds toward a Senate floor vote. The updated bill incorporates significant changes negotiated over the past month between Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and representatives from major athletic conferences, including members of President Trump’s college athletics committee.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey emphasized during SEC Media Days that any legislation enacted must close loopholes comprehensively, as Congress is unlikely to revisit the matter afterward. “If a bill is produced and advances, and it’s eventually signed into law, the view will be we’ve solved those problems,” Sankey said, stressing the need for “common sense adjustments to close the loopholes and make this manageable.”

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti indicated his conference would evaluate the revised bill holistically rather than seeking perfection. “We preferred a much skinnier bill than this bill,” Petitti said Tuesday. “We have to work within the framework of what’s happening and make decisions about it as a totality. I frame the question as ‘is there more good here than not?'”

A notable revision creates a separate salary pool for retaining players on current rosters, addressing conference concerns about financial allocations between roster retention and the transfer portal. The revised summary also notably omits a cap on conference expansion, a key demand from both the SEC and Big Ten.

Both conferences submitted detailed comments to the senators on July 3 and are now having legal teams review the full language. Should they approve, public endorsements from conference leadership and member school presidents and chancellors would likely follow, potentially bolstering the bill’s Senate prospects.

The path forward remains uncertain, however. Opposition from some senators and the National Black Caucus could require legislative allies to proceed with a narrower coalition. A successful vote hinges on whether broader bipartisan support materializes or whether the measure advances on minimal margins.