S. 4668
A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes.
Protect College Sports Act of 2026 This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement ). First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600. The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%. The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season. Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment. The bill generally prohibits Division I conferences from reducing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams that a member institution must sponsor. Specifically, large institutions ($80 million or more in annual athletics revenue) must offer and maintain at least as many grant-in-aid opportunities and roster spots for sports that do not generate positive net…
Full text and status on Congress.gov
Roll calls on this measure (4)
- On Passage of the Bill S. 4668: S. 4668: A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student… (Senate, Sep 28, 2026; Bill Passed)
- On the Cloture Motion S. 4668: S. 4668: A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student… (Senate, Sep 24, 2026; Cloture Motion Agreed to)
- On the Motion to Proceed S. 4668: S. 4668: A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student… (Senate, Sep 17, 2026; Motion to Proceed Agreed to)
- On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 4668: S. 4668: A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student… (Senate, Sep 15, 2026; Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to)