SEC and Big Ten Express Concerns Over College Sports Legislation

WHO:

On3 - Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey released a joint statement.

AP News - Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the Protect College Sports Act.

On3 - Other conference leaders mentioned include Jim Phillips of the ACC and Brett Yormark of the Big 12.

WHAT:

On3 - The Big Ten and SEC expressed opposition to the Protect College Sports Act in its current form, citing "critical issues."

On3 - The Protect College Sports Act includes provisions for an option to pool media rights, requiring a minimum threshold of 75% of the 138 FBS schools to agree.

AP News - The SEC and Big Ten stated the bill does not meaningfully preempt state laws and leaves critical issues unresolved.

On3 - The SEC's Greg Sankey commented that supporters of media rights pooling "have no idea how hard those conversations would be."

WHERE:

On3 - The SEC's spring meetings took place in Destin, Florida.

On3 - A Senate hearing on the Protect College Sports Act is scheduled to take place on Capitol Hill.

WHEN:

On3 - The Senate hearing on the Protect College Sports Act is set to begin at 9 a.m. ET on a Wednesday.

WHY:

On3 - The Big Ten and SEC support a sustainable national framework for college sports but do not support the bill as drafted due to unresolved issues.

AP News - The bill aims to regulate college sports in a rapidly changing environment where some players earn significant amounts.

HOW:

On3 - The Protect College Sports Act is designed to protect athletes and competition, enable coaches to sustain competitive programs, and affirm student-athletes' rights to profit from their name, image, and likeness.

(UPDATED June 3, 2026 16:32 UTC)

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey have released a joint statement expressing their opposition to the Protect College Sports Act, highlighting unresolved critical issues within the bill. The legislation, which aims to regulate college sports and includes provisions for pooling media rights, requires the agreement of at least 75% of the 138 FBS schools, but the SEC and Big Ten argue it does not adequately preempt state laws. A Senate hearing on the Protect College Sports Act is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET on a Wednesday, as lawmakers consider how to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics.