S. 4668

In brief

The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 establishes federal regulations for student athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements and grants a limited antitrust exemption for schools to pool sports media rights. It prohibits the NCAA and colleges from restricting NIL deals but requires students to report any compensation exceeding $600 to their schools. The legislation caps agent fees at 5%, codifies a permanent revenue-sharing limit for athletes based on the "House" court settlement, and mandates that large institutions maintain their 2024-25 levels of funding and roster spots for non-revenue sports for nine years. Introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), the bill has been reported out of committee and considered by the Senate.