Senate nears vote on college sports bill that would rein in athlete payments and transfers
The Senate is poised to pass a sweeping bipartisan bill on Monday that would regulate college sports, an attempt to end “chaos” in an industry that has been upended by skyrocketing athlete payments and near-unrestricted transfers between schools. Passage of the legislation would be the strongest effort yet by Congress to set national regulations governing payments to college athletes for their…
The U.S. Senate is set to vote on a comprehensive bipartisan bill on Monday aimed at regulating college sports, an effort to curb rampant payments and unrestricted transfers that have disrupted the industry. If passed, the legislation would grant the NCAA greater authority over rules related to athletes' name, image, and likeness, along with limited antitrust protections to enforce them.
The bill, a result of years of Senate negotiations, seeks to establish new guardrails and address the chaotic landscape of college sports following a 2025 settlement that allowed colleges to directly pay players. While more than 70 senators from both parties support the bill, critics argue it fails to sufficiently protect athletes or curb the massive amounts of money flowing to coaches, colleges, and conferences.
The legislation would codify the settlement into law and introduce new regulations to curb rampant spending and limit the transfer portal system, which has led to frequent roster changes. It would also restrict coaches from leaving their schools during the season and cap conference sizes at 19 programs, aiming to prevent the formation of "superleagues."
Critics contend that the bill does not go far enough in safeguarding athletes' rights or addressing the substantial financial disparities within the system.
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