A Senate bill that would reshape how college athletes are paid, transfer, and negotiate endorsements has drawn more than $31 million in lobbying activity and triggered a broad coalition fight involving broadcasters, streaming giants, civil rights organizations, and Republican megadonors — with final action now pushed to November at the earliest.
What the Bill Would Do
The Protect College Sports Act, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), would grant the NCAA and athletic conferences a limited antitrust exemption in exchange for a sweeping overhaul of athlete compensation rules. The legislation would cap agent fees, restrict how often athletes may transfer between schools, and preempt a patchwork of state-level regulations.
Under the bill, the current revenue-sharing cap — set at nearly $21.6 million per school for this academic year under the House v. NCAA antitrust settlement — would be replaced by an expanded framework allowing schools to share up to $48.8 million with athletes. Name, image, and likeness deals worth $600 or more would be reported to a new College Sports Commission. Endorsement arrangements earned independently of school relationships would be preserved.
Who Is Lobbying and How Much
More than 90 organizations referenced the Senate bill or its House counterpart in lobbying disclosures through June 30. Those groups collectively reported $31.4 million in total lobbying activity during the quarter, though that figure covers all issues each group worked on, not the college sports bill alone.
Supporters include the NCAA, major athletic conferences, Major League Baseball, the NFL, and their respective players’ unions. On the broadcast side, Amazon reported nearly $4.8 million in lobbying spending during the quarter across 169 issues and 36 bills. Disney spent nearly $1.7 million, and Paramount Skydance reported $1.5 million.
The National Association of Broadcasters has backed a provision that would require subscription streaming services to offer free over-the-air broadcast options for high-profile games in local markets. NAB President Curtis LeGeyt has publicly supported that language.
A Well-Funded Advocacy Campaign
One of the more prominent advocacy efforts backing the bill comes from Saving College Sports, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit founded by Cody Campbell, chairman of the Texas Tech Board of Regents and a billionaire Republican donor. The organization is led by four Republican strategists, including a former chief of staff to Sen. Cruz.
The group ran television advertisements during games involving historically Black colleges and universities, targeting opposition from the Congressional Black Caucus. The ads featured Hall of Fame player Deion Sanders and seven-time national championship coach Nick Saban.
Opposition and Civil Rights Concerns
The bill faces organized resistance from the AFL-CIO, the NAACP, and the Congressional Black Caucus. Opponents argue the legislation would limit athlete mobility and suppress market value — particularly for Black athletes who generate significant revenue for their schools. Critics have also argued that the bill extends federal protections to institutions profiting from Black athletes at a time when some states are rolling back those athletes’ voting rights.
Timeline Pushed Back
House leaders canceled the final two weeks of the legislative session on September 3, meaning any Senate-passed version of the bill cannot reach the House floor before November at the earliest. David Weber, director of the Sports Law Program at the University of Oregon, has noted the compressed timeline as a significant obstacle to passage before the end of the year.
The University of Arkansas board separately authorized a plan to direct $3.4 million toward its athletics program, a move that reflects the broader financial pressure schools face as the revenue-sharing era takes hold under the existing House v. NCAA settlement framework.