The Senate Commerce Committee has advanced the Protect College Sports Act, a landmark bill that aims to stabilize college athletics. The bill, which has been met with opposition from the SEC and Big Ten conferences, will now move to a full vote.

Background

The Protect College Sports Act is designed to address issues such as player compensation, transfer rules, and media rights. The bill has garnered support from numerous leagues, but those representing athletes have opposed it.

Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) held a markup session on Thursday, where the bill was voted on and passed with a 19-9 vote. The SEC and Big Ten conferences released a joint statement expressing their opposition to the bill, citing concerns over revisions that they believe are necessary for the long-term sustainability of college athletics.

Key Provisions

The bill includes provisions such as the separation of Olympic and women’s sports from media rights pooling, as well as a minimum scholarship and roster size limit. The anti-expansion provision in the bill has been revised to include conferences that bring in $700 million in revenue, which includes the Big 12 and ACC.

Despite the opposition from the SEC and Big Ten, Sens. Cruz and Cantwell remain committed to moving the bill forward. The clock is ticking, with only 50 days until Congress goes into recess for the summer.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.