Protect College Sports Act Sparks Debate Over NCAA Power and Conference Realignment

The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act (PCSA), introduced in May by Senators Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz, would establish national standards for name, image and likeness (NIL) agreements, athlete eligibility and revenue sharing, while granting the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption. A key provision would bar Power‑4 conferences from expanding unless a Group of 6 school moves up, effectively capping the SEC and Big Ten at 18 or 19 members and requiring any team leaving a Power conference to spend five years as an independent. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has been meeting with congressional leaders about the proposal, and the bill could reach the Senate floor as early as next week.

Athlete groups and Olympic officials have voiced opposition, arguing the act gives the NCAA excessive control and could harm athletes. Olympian Katie Uhlaender, speaking on behalf of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, warned that the legislation would turn the NCAA into an economic cartel and jeopardize fair competition. The criticism joins past scandals involving athlete protections, highlighting concerns that the PCSA could shift power away from athletes toward a centralized governing body.