Protecting College Sports: Supporting Student Athletes, Restoring Fair Competition, and Saving the Games Fans Love
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a full committee hearing titled, “Protecting College Sports: Supporting Student Athletes, Restoring Fair Competition, and Saving the Games Fans Love,” on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET.
This hearing will assess the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, legislation from Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to restore order in college athletics. The bill would provide structure to college sports by creating enforceable national standards, preserving fair competition, protecting student athletes, and ensuring fans do not lose the teams, rivalries, and traditions they love.
Upon announcing the hearing, Sen. Cruz said: “The Protect College Sports Act is bipartisan legislation designed to save a tradition that is currently in crisis – college sports. The bill protects athletes and competition, enables coaches to build and sustain competitive programs, and safeguards traditional regional rivalries. It also affirms the rights of student athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, while preserving the unique American system of college athletics. But at the forefront, this legislation ensures the system remains focused on providing students with an education. We cannot allow college athletics to morph into a mini-NFL or NBA. The Protect College Sports Act is a win for fans, athletes, schools, and the future of college sports.”
Witnesses:
- Mr. Nick Saban, Former Head Football Coach, The University of Alabama
- Mr. Pete Bevacqua, Director of Athletics, University of Notre Dame
- Mr. Gordon Gee, President Emeritus, West Virginia University
- Ms. Teresa Gould, Commissioner, NCAA Pac-12 Conference
- Mr. Lance Holtzclaw, Student Athlete, The University of Utah
Background:
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 would end the chaos in college sports by bringing stability to school transfers, eligibility, recruiting practices, tampering, and real Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights for athletes. The bill balances the system without turning college sports into professional sports. It preserves fans’ favorite games and traditions and provides options to increase TV revenue. Importantly, it restores competitive balance to ensure all schools, not just the blue bloods, can compete.
The bill guarantees landmark protections for student athletes. It creates new athlete-agent rules, preserves NIL disclosure standards and academic and scholarship standards. The bill also addresses health and safety standards, while creating a new medical fund for student athletes. Additionally, the Protect College Sports Act establishes transfer and eligibility rules, cap-circumvention provisions, recruitment and tampering rules, legal certainty for targeted enforcement, preemption of conflicting state rules, and an official student athlete ombudsman.
The broadcast and media title creates a conditional voluntary framework to pool media rights, which includes provisions to guarantee local access to broadcast games, rivalry preservation, and additional protections for women’s and Olympic sports.
To read a one-pager, click HERE.
To read a section-by-section, click HERE.
To read the bill text, click HERE.
Hearing Details:
WHAT: Full Committee Hearing titled “Protecting College Sports: Supporting Student Athletes, Restoring Fair Competition, and Saving the Games Fans Love”
DATE: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
TIME: 9:00 a.m. ET
LOCATION: 216 Hart Senate Office Building
LIVESTREAM: The hearing will stream live on the committee website and YouTube.
MEDIA: Reporters interested in attending should contact their respective media gallery to RSVP.
- Senate Daily Press: 202-224-0241 or senate_press_gallery@saa.senate.gov
- Senate Periodical Press: 202-224-0265 or periodicals@saa.senate.gov
- Senate Photographers: 202-224-6548 or press_photo@saa.senate.gov
- Senate Radio/TV: 202-224-6421
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