News summary produced by Claude AI
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., expressed confidence Friday that the Protect College Sports Act has sufficient support to advance through the Senate, stating the measure likely commands 60 votes—the threshold needed for passage in the upper chamber.
Schmitt indicated that the coming two weeks are crucial for the bill’s prospects. He noted that leaders from the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten Conference, both of which have opposed the current version of the legislation, have engaged in discussions with him and other primary sponsors, including Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., to negotiate modifications aimed at securing their backing.
The senator warned of potential consequences if the legislation does not advance, predicting that without federal intervention, college sports would become “even further unrecognizable” within three years. Schmitt specifically cited concerns about financial pressures that could lead women’s athletic programs to cease operations.
The bill seeks to establish limited liability protections for the NCAA and conferences while addressing the fragmented landscape of state-level regulations governing name, image and likeness payments. The measure also provides an option for conferences to consolidate their media rights, a provision proponents argue could generate substantial additional revenue but which the SEC and Big Ten have resisted. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey previously communicated concerns about a section permitting athletes to pursue civil litigation, arguing it could increase rather than decrease legal disputes.
Should the legislation succeed in the Senate, its path forward faces significant obstacles. The narrowly divided House presents additional challenges, with both parties having raised objections to the SCORE Act, an alternative college sports bill that never reached a House floor vote.