Key Takeaways
- The NCAA and Power Four conferences spent about $17M combined lobbying Washington from 2020 to 2026, according to Sports Business Journal.
- Senators voted 77-22 to hand the NCAA a limited antitrust shield over athlete pay, NIL, transfer and eligibility rules.
- Schools could pay athletes directly up to $48.8M per year under the bill, with agent fees held to a 5% ceiling.
- House members are not scheduled back in Washington until Nov. 9, six days after midterm elections that could reshape Congress.
The U.S. Senate on Monday passed the Protect College Sports Act by a 77-22 bipartisan vote, sending a bill that would grant the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) a limited antitrust exemption to the House of Representatives, according to Sports Business Journal. The exemption would allow the NCAA to set and enforce rules on athlete compensation, name, image and likeness (NIL), transfers and eligibility.
President Donald Trump has endorsed the bill, but it must clear the House before reaching his desk. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a co-sponsor, has said he hopes the House acts before the November elections and has floated the idea of Trump signing it live on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” Sports Business Journal reported.
Per the publication, Monday’s vote is the furthest any college sports legislation has advanced in Congress.
What Does the Protect College Sports Act Change for Athletes and Schools?
The bill is led by Cruz and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), with co-sponsors including Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.). Beyond the antitrust protection, it contains three provisions with direct financial impact, according to Sports Business Journal:
Schools could pay athletes directly up to $48.8M annually. Agent fees would be capped at 5%. Conference realignment would face new limits.
Schmitt, a former college athlete, said on the Senate floor that these developments “would have been unthinkable” during his playing days. He argued that Congress is the only body able to grant the NCAA the antitrust protection it needs to enforce its rules.
NCAA and Power Four Lobbying Behind the Protect College Sports Act
The Senate vote follows years of spending aimed at a federal solution. From 2020 to 2026, the NCAA spent more than $6.3M lobbying the federal government, while the Power Four conferences spent nearly $10.7M combined, Sports Business Journal reported.
The bill’s coalition of supporters extends beyond college athletics. The NCAA and Power Four conferences have endorsed it, as have the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), according to the publication. Sports Business Journal reported in July that the bill was revised to address concerns raised by the Big Ten and SEC.
Democrats, Agents and Advocacy Groups Oppose the Bill’s Scope
Opposition comes from Congressional Democrats, athlete advocacy groups and agents, who argue the bill would restrict athletes’ earning potential and movement without collective bargaining, per Sports Business Journal. Ahead of the vote, Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) filed an amendment to cap coaching salaries, the publication reported.
Murphy acknowledged that some college athletics rules need fixing but said the problems are narrow. “You don’t need a bill of this sweeping scope,” he said, describing the issues as minor practices that have gotten out of control.
A Nov. 9 House Return Leaves the College GameDay Signing in Doubt
People involved in the process expect the House to be a harder climb than the Senate, and there is heavy skepticism about whether the chamber will return in time to vote, according to Sports Business Journal. The House’s current schedule has members returning Nov. 9.
That date falls six days after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The bill’s biggest win to date came from a Senate that voted with a 55-vote margin; its final test may come before a Congress whose makeup voters will have already changed.
Source: Sports Business Journal, Irving Mejia-Hilario, September 29, 2026, https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/09/29/senate-passes-protect-college-sports-act-house-is-next/
Image: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
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How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
Who founded Youth Sports Business Report?
Youth Sports Business Report was founded by Cameron Korab, a sports marketing veteran with more than a decade in the industry and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Korab also co-founded Vertical Sports, a sports marketing advisory serving brands across youth, college, and pro sports.
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Hosted by Cameron Korab, founder of Youth Sports Business Report, Jr. Sports Marketing features candid 1-on-1 conversations with the brands, athletes, leagues, and innovators building the future of youth sports. Each episode breaks down how the smartest brands are activating, building equity, and winning with youth sports families. If you’re an operator, founder, investor, or marketer trying to understand where this space is headed, this is your show.
Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
