SEC, power conferences release statements after Protect College Sports Act passes Senate vote

The Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation, successfully passed the Senate on a 77-23 vote on Monday. Following the vote, each power conference – Big 12, ACC, SEC, and Big Ten – released statements expressing their support for the legislation. The bill will now be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives, which is set to return to session after the midterm elections.

In their statement, the SEC emphasized the importance of the act in providing a clear framework for college athletics, protecting student-athletes, and promoting women's and Olympic sports. The Big Ten also thanked Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell for their efforts in introducing the bill. The Big 12 conference echoed these sentiments, highlighting the need to "move beyond uncertainty" as the NIL and revenue-share landscape continues to evolve.

The Protect College Sports Act would grant the NCAA an antitrust exemption, standardize the eligibility policy, increase revenue sharing, and establish an agent registry with a maximum 5% fee. It would also allow schools to pool media rights and provide more enforcement around the revenue share cap.