WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted 74-24 Tuesday to advance the Protect College Sports Act, clearing a procedural hurdle and moving the bipartisan measure closer to a final vote.
The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., seeks to establish federal rules for college athletics, including regulations on athlete compensation, transfers, eligibility and enforcement. The legislation still needs additional Senate votes before it can move to the House.
Cruz described the measure as a bipartisan effort to address what he called disorder in college sports. Cantwell said the vote made her “cautiously optimistic” about the bill’s prospects in the House, where lawmakers have considered other college sports legislation.
The Senate needed 60 votes to advance the measure.
Bill sets limits on athlete payments and transfers
The legislation would establish a 22% limit on the revenue schools can share with athletes, with the amount set at about $21.5 million for the current year under the proposal.
It also would create a $27.5 million retention pool that schools could use to retain current athletes.
The bill would limit athletes to one transfer without sitting out a season and establish a maximum of five years of eligibility. It also would allow conferences to collectively negotiate or pool certain television media rights.
The legislation includes provisions addressing scholarships, health care, name-image-and-likeness compensation and protections for women’s and Olympic sports.
Critics raise concerns over NCAA authority
The measure faces opposition from some Democrats and the NAACP.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the legislation would strengthen a system that he argued has exploited college athletes.
Critics also have questioned whether Congress should give the NCAA additional authority after years of litigation involving college athletics.
The bill has received support from sports figures including former Alabama coach Nick Saban, Colorado coach Deion Sanders, Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari and Gonzaga coach Mark Few.
Calipari said Monday that the legislation could address many of the problems facing college sports while acknowledging that it would not resolve every issue.
Senate vote follows college football dispute
The vote came after a recent dispute involving LSU and the Southeastern Conference.
The SEC had scheduled a meeting to consider LSU’s status after the school’s plans to add players who had participated in NFL training camps triggered an eligibility lawsuit. The conference ultimately did not expel LSU.
Supporters of the bill have cited such disputes as examples of the uncertainty surrounding current college sports rules.
The bill faces additional votes in the Senate before lawmakers can send it to the House for consideration.
