A larger force than the billion-dollar college football season is pushing Congress closer to setting national criteria for the name, image and likeness system that defines how schools can pay players directly: lobbying.
The Protect College Sports Act, spearheaded by GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, has garnered attention from broadcasters, athlete‑advocacy groups, universities and sports conferences, including the powerhouse Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.
Many stakeholders have teamed up to influence the text of the bill, which, at its core, creates national NIL standards, trumping states’ own initiatives to homogenize the expanding topic.
In the headline part of the PCSA, it cracks down on transfers, putting athletes on the sideline for a year if they shift a second time to another college.
Over 90 organizations referenced the bill by name in their second-quarter lobbying disclosures ending June 30, according to a Wednesday analysis by OpenSecrets.
Saving College Sports, an advocacy nonprofit organization, has dominated the lobbying surge, running major media ad campaigns featuring prominent sports figures like sportscaster and former Alabama and LSU football coach Nick Saban and Colorado coach and former player Deion Sanders to build grassroots and congressional support.
Since it was founded in July 2025, the group has spent a quarter of its $820,000 total lobbying amount in the second quarter, according to its disclosure.
Other high-profile supporters include the National Association of Broadcasters, Internet & Television Association, Amazon, Paramount Skydance and Disney Worldwide Services, as their skin in the game depends on broadcasting rights.
Three dozen members of the NCAA’s Power 4 conferences — the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC — have all backed the bill.
As for colleges, 60 have lobbied in favor of the bill during the second quarter, including high-profile institutions in the sports world, such as Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame.
With college football in full swing, Congress is in a race against the November midterms to get the bill over the goal line.
A Senate cloture vote is scheduled for Sept. 15-23, but even if it passes, the bill must clear the House before a five-week October recess for campaigning eats into the calendar.
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.