The SEC and Big Ten now support the Senate's college sports bill after late concessions.
Why it matters: Their backing gives the Protect College Sports Act new momentum in the Senate. The bill could affect NIL rules, athlete payments and the business model of major college sports.
- AP reported Aug. 1, 2026, that the SEC and Big Ten agreed to support the Protect College Sports Act.
- The conferences had withheld support on June 18, 2026, saying revisions were still needed.
- Late-July revisions included language on third-party NIL deals and associated entities, plus a retention pool of up to $25 million for athletes already on rosters.
- The bill still needs 60 Senate votes to end debate and move to a final vote.
The SEC and Big Ten have moved to back the Senate's Protect College Sports Act of 2026 after last-minute concessions on NIL language, according to AP. The shift gives the bill fresh momentum after both conferences previously said they could not support it in its then-current form.
On June 18, 2026, the two conferences said revisions were still needed. AP reported the bill was then revised in late July to try to win their support, including changes involving third-party NIL deals and associated entities. One proposed addition was a retention pool that would let schools spend up to $25 million on athletes already on their rosters, with some funds set aside for women's sports, according to AP.
The bill's new support matters because the Senate measure needs 60 votes to end debate and advance. Backing from the two most influential conferences improves the bill's odds in a chamber where college sports legislation has faced repeated hurdles.
Both conferences said in their June 18 joint statement that they still believed revisions were needed to secure support for the bill, underscoring how closely the final language mattered to the sport's biggest power brokers. The bill's fate now hinges on whether the revised deal can hold together in the Senate.
By the numbers
- 60 - Senate votes needed to end debate and move to an up-or-down vote
- $25 million - size of the proposed retention pool discussed in late-July revisions
- June 18, 2026 - date the Big Ten and SEC said they did not yet support the bill
Yes, but: The source packet does not include the final revised bill text, so the exact concessions beyond the NIL and associated-entity changes are not fully clear.
What's next: The bill still has to clear the Senate's 60-vote threshold to advance.