The Protect College Sports Act - H.R. 9137

[Lobot]

A lot of sports news and write ups this week regarding the PCSA currently attempting to make it through Congress. This has been in the works for a while but I was offline and couldn't post about it.

The White House, Conferences and NCAA have signed off on this. Some Senate members are asking for amendments currently. The sponsors of the bill are trying to get it across the finish line before the Congressional recess this weekend and it looks like they're going to be unsuccessful in that regard. It will be up for a vote in Sept. after the recess from the look of it.

So what's in it? This is the best write up I could find. It's paywalled but you should have a free article or two here to read it.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2026/08/04/protect-college-sports-act-bill-highlights/91163665007/

I will say that in my limited legal opinion, that some of what's in the PCSA seems to fly against previous court rulings on NIL and limits on earnings but we'll see what happens here. If it passes in some form it'll likely bring back some sanity to player movement, coaching movement, NIL, etc. but I have my have my doubts on whether it'll pass or survive a legal challenge. It also seemingly puts the US Government in the role of the NCAA which could be good or bad depending on your opinion of the NCAA and our government.

Here's the actual bill and I think this is current:

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr9137/text

[red_n_black_attack]

There is a lot wrong with the current state of college athletics and I don't think the government should do anything to attempt to make it better. The NCAA is somewhat powerless or ineffective: The conferences need to band together with the NCAA and put in a couple of fixes to restore order. Here are a couple things I believe would help and be legal or withstand a challenge.

1. Multi-year contracts got players with a cash opt out for certain criteria and a free opt out for coaching changes.
2. Salary cap. As much as I hate to see pay-4-play in college athletics, we have it and need to level the playing field at least where we can for power conferences. It is possible the salary cap for P4 football be one level and college basketball another level. It may depend on which championship thge conferences are eligible.
3. transfers: Five years to play five helps, but I'd make players sit out a year if they transfer off contract with two exceptions.
   1. First year student-athletes could transfer without sitting out a year for their second year
   2. A play gets one additional free transfer if he/she opts out mid contract due to a coaching change
   3. A player at end of contract term is a free agent and can transfer without sitting out a yea.

Let's face it, the biggest issue is roster continuity. There has been an unfair advantage in pay/benefits since the beginning of college athletics, but a salary cap helps level the playing field. Players will still transfer for all of the same reasons they used to transfer, but complete roster turnovers kill fan interest.

Please keep Congress out of it.

[longtimefan]

There is a lot wrong with the current state of college athletics and I don't think the government should do anything to attempt to make it better. The NCAA is somewhat powerless or ineffective: The conferences need to band together with the NCAA and put in a couple of fixes to restore order. Here are a couple things I believe would help and be legal or withstand a challenge.

1. Multi-year contracts got players with a cash opt out for certain criteria and a free opt out for coaching changes.
2. Salary cap. As much as I hate to see pay-4-play in college athletics, we have it and need to level the playing field at least where we can for power conferences. It is possible the salary cap for P4 football be one level and college basketball another level. It may depend on which championship thge conferences are eligible.
3. transfers: Five years to play five helps, but I'd make players sit out a year if they transfer off contract with two exceptions.
   1. First year student-athletes could transfer without sitting out a year for their second year
   2. A play gets one additional free transfer if he/she opts out mid contract due to a coaching change
   3. A player at end of contract term is a free agent and can transfer without sitting out a yea.

Let's face it, the biggest issue is roster continuity. There has been an unfair advantage in pay/benefits since the beginning of college athletics, but a salary cap helps level the playing field. Players will still transfer for all of the same reasons they used to transfer, but complete roster turnovers kill fan interest.

Please keep Congress out of it.

As soon as any of those rules are implemented, people will be running to court to overturn them. That’s the problem now, the NCAA can’t make rules because courts strike them down. Like it or not, we need Congress to set the rules.