US Senators Unveil $1 Billion Bill to Curb Big Ten, SEC Expansion
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 3
US Senators Unveil $1 Billion Bill to Curb Big Ten, SEC Expansion
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 3
Summary
A bipartisan Senate bill would bar the Big Ten and SEC from merging with another conference or acquiring another league’s assets, media rights or membership, potentially freezing most Power 2 expansion.
The restriction applies only to conferences reporting at least $1 billion in 2025 revenue, effectively singling out the Big Ten and SEC while leaving other leagues free to add schools.
ACC-bound targets such as Clemson and Florida State could remain blocked while their media rights are tied up—Clemson’s through 2036—though expansion could resume when those deals expire; Notre Dame football, as an independent, appears exempt.
The same bill tries to ease the money pressures driving realignment by letting conferences pool media rights if 75% of the 138 FBS schools opt in, aiming to raise revenue across college sports.
A Senate Commerce Committee hearing is set for Wednesday, but the measure still faces revisions and must clear both chambers and the president after a similar House bill previously stalled.
To save college sports, must Congress curb the earning power and transfer freedom of its athletes?
Is freezing the expansion of the Big Ten and SEC a fair move for stability or simply penalizing success?
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026: Federal Push to Close the Billion-Dollar Gap in NCAA Athletics
Overview
The Protect College Sports Act was introduced in response to growing instability and widening financial gaps in college sports, especially between the wealthiest conferences like the Big Ten and SEC and their peers. These two conferences reported over $1 billion in revenue in 2025, driven by lucrative broadcast deals, earning several hundred million dollars more than others. This escalating financial divide is a main reason for the Act, which aims to address these disparities and create a fairer landscape. Senator Ted Cruz called the Act the 'last, best hope' for federal intervention to restore balance in college athletics.