S. 4668
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
Summary:
• The bill, titled the "Protect College Sports Act of 2026," establishes federal protections for student athletes' name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, prohibiting institutions, conferences, and intercollegiate athletic associations from restricting athletes' ability to market themselves or enter NIL agreements, and from penalizing athletes' eligibility or scholarships based on NIL activity
• The bill creates a framework for sports broadcasting rights by amending the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 to provide a conditional antitrust exemption for a jointly formed "covered entity" that pools and sells college sports media rights, subject to requirements on revenue distribution, membership, voting, and protections for women's and Olympic sports
• The bill establishes multiple student athlete protections covering academic rights, medical coverage (including post-eligibility coverage for 5 years), health and safety standards, scholarship protections, and creates an Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman within intercollegiate athletic associations
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• The bill creates a framework for sports broadcasting rights by amending the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 to provide a conditional antitrust exemption for a jointly formed "covered entity" that pools and sells college sports media rights, subject to requirements on revenue distribution, membership, voting, and protections for women's and Olympic sports
• The bill establishes multiple student athlete protections covering academic rights, medical coverage (including post-eligibility coverage for 5 years), health and safety standards, scholarship protections, and creates an Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman within intercollegiate athletic associations
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