On Monday, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) signed on as a cosponsor of a bipartisan bill that would establish requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provide a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights.
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026, S. 4668, which U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced on June 2, would prohibit institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements, and require students to report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.
“I am proud to cosponsor the Protect College Sports Act and support this effort to bring structure and stability back to college athletics,” Sen. Capito said. “This legislation serves as an updated playbook to repair a fractured system by preventing the exploitation of student athletes, holding agents and coaches accountable, providing certainty through needed guardrails, and putting education first.”
Among several provisions, S. 3668 also would require agents to register with a state and cap agent endorsement contract fees at 5 percent, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
Sen. Capito said S. 3668 also includes an amendment she authored to preserve both women’s and Olympic sports’ visibility and media rights, helping these sports continue to grow and inspire the next generation of athletes.
“With the landscape of college athletics rapidly evolving, I believe we all agree that something needs to be done, and this bill puts those needed steps into action,” the senator said.
Last month the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee advanced the bill to the full chamber with a bipartisan vote of more than two thirds (19-9).
Support for the legislation includes 24 collegiate athletic conferences, 280 colleges and universities across 49 states and Washington, D.C., and from numerous organizations, including the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, among many others.