The SEC and Big Ten struck a backroom deal with Senate leadership Friday night to back a bill that would write their cartel into federal law — capping what athletes can earn while shielding the NCAA from the antitrust lawsuits that threaten its grip on the enterprise.
The Protect College Sports Act, introduced in May by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), grants the NCAA an antitrust exemption to enforce rules that courts have already found illegal. It limits athletes to one free transfer, restricts eligibility to five years, bars former pros from returning, and — most critically — lets the NCAA and a new College Sports Commission enforce a cap on how much schools can pay their players. The New York Post reported the bill would also limit conference expansion and coach movement during the season.
Both outlets framed the conferences' support as a breakthrough. Buried was the substance: the two richest conferences in college sports just negotiated a revenue-sharing cap that works in their favor. CBS Sports reported the final deal permits up to $48.8 million in annual player payments — $21.3 million in revenue sharing from the House settlement, plus a $22.5 million retention pool exception and $5 million for non-revenue sports NIL. The Big Ten and SEC initially asked for a $25 million cap. They got nearly double the wiggle room — and the legislative authority to enforce it against competitors.
The central sticking point was the
