Senate passes bipartisan Protect College Sports Act amid ‘chaos’ in industry

The Senate has approved the Protect College Sports Act with a 77-22 vote, a bill that aims to regulate college athlete transfers, compensation, eligibility and NCAA enforcement. The legislation could potentially force second-time college football transfers to sit out a full academic year if they transfer more than once. The Act was introduced on September 28 and is now set to move to the House of Representatives.

The bill allows athletes to transfer once without losing or delaying eligibility. However, a second transfer would usually require the athlete to sit out the following academic year. The legislation includes exceptions for pregnancies, military service, religious missions, and other medical circumstances. Although players could still switch schools multiple times, repeated transfers could result in eligibility penalties.

Furthermore, the legislation addresses coaching movement by prohibiting football coaches and key staff members from leaving an FBS program during the competitive season to take over another FBS job. Additionally, the bill targets player poaching and recruiting tampering by giving the NCAA and athletic organizations more enforcement authority. The House must still consider the proposed rules, and Congress would have to restart the process in the next Congress if the bill is not passed before the end of the year.