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Senate Commerce Committee Advances Cruz-Rosen College Sports Bill

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 2:44 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Cruz Pushes Sports Act

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) promoted the Protect College Sports Act on ESPN’s College GameDay on Sept. 12, 2026.
Disney, ESPN’s parent company, disclosed spending lobbying money on the Protect College Sports Act.
College Football Coach Nick Saban appeared in televised advertisements supporting the Protect College Sports Act.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the bill an antitrust exemption that would legalize illegal industry behavior.

Summary

Cantwell Demands Transparency

Senate Commerce Committee adopted the Cruz-Rosen substitute and Cantwell amendments on September 16.
Fighter Nico Ali Walsh reversed his opposition and urged Senate passage of S. 5188.
In a September 10 letter, Walsh highlighted amendments he helped secure, including shorter contracts and transparent rankings.
Ranking Member Maria Cantwell’s amendments require Unified Boxing Organizations to disclose itemized fighter compensation per bout.
Cantwell’s amendment 3 bars UBO personnel from contracting with boxing-commission officials, limiting conflicts of interest.

History

Historical Context

The 1972 Sports Broadcasting Act, passed by Congress and upheld in 1975, granted professional leagues an antitrust exemption for collective television contracts. At that time, the National Football League secured $100 million in national broadcast rights, while the NCAA negotiated similar deals for college football. Today's Protect College Sports Act championed by Senator Ted Cruz and endorsed by coach Nick Saban mirrors that exemption, seeking to shield college football revenues from antitrust scrutiny. If Congress approves the bill, the precedent set in 1972 could expand market control, prompting future legal challenges and reshaping athlete compensation frameworks.

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Cruz Pushes Sports Act

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) promoted the Protect College Sports Act on ESPN’s College GameDay on Sept. 12, 2026.
Disney, ESPN’s parent company, disclosed spending lobbying money on the Protect College Sports Act.
College Football Coach Nick Saban appeared in televised advertisements supporting the Protect College Sports Act.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the bill an antitrust exemption that would legalize illegal industry behavior.

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