Cruz claims $48 M cap is firm, but major conferences demand stronger language

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz announced that the revised Protect College Sports Act establishes a firm $48.8 million salary cap for student-athletes, merging a $21.3 million base limit with a newly added $27.5 million retention pool. Cruz argues the bill already prevents companies tied to schools from signing players, but the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference have declined to support the measure, calling for more explicit restrictions on third-party name, image and likeness agreements.

Negotiations stalled as the Senate recessed for the weekend, and with the chamber set to break for the season, a vote before the adjournment appears doubtful. A letter to the conferences clarified that the bill’s language supersedes any existing House settlement on revenue sharing. NCAA President Charlie Baker appealed to lawmakers and conference leaders to back the legislation, emphasizing its importance for a level playing field and the long-term sustainability of college athletics.