The player unions representing NFL and NBA athletes have joined forces in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee, voicing their approval of a newly introduced Senate bill intended to overhaul college sports.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter from the NFL Players Association and National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday, shared by a source who requested anonymity because the letter had not been made public.
In the letter, the two unions expressed backing for the bill, specifically citing provisions that would guarantee name, image, and likeness — or NIL — rights for college athletes, along with medical and healthcare benefits.
“We encourage continued meaningful stakeholder engagement and negotiations to further strengthen the bill as it moves through Congress to ensure college athletes are protected and empowered,” the letter read. It was addressed to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
The NFL also issued a separate statement endorsing the bipartisan measure. “Healthy, stable, and thriving collegiate athletics is essential to the future of American sports, including Olympic sports, and this legislation is an important step to achieving that for the benefit of all college athletes and institutions alike,” the league said, noting it will continue working with Congress on the effort.
Cruz and Cantwell, the top two lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee, are co-sponsors of the bill, but its passage is far from guaranteed. The measure would need 60 votes to advance through the Senate, and both senators have said they remain open to making changes to the 111-page bill, which was unveiled on May 27.
The legislation, known as the Protect College Sports Act, has yet to earn the backing of the SEC and Big Ten conferences, and is drawing criticism from some members of the Senate.
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban has been among those who testified in support of the bill, which seeks to bring order to a college sports landscape where athletes can earn millions of dollars and move between schools with relative ease.
Among its key provisions, the bill would regulate how much athletes can be paid, limit players to one transfer without penalty during their college careers, and establish what is being called a “Lane Kiffin Rule” — a restriction that would prevent coaches from leaving their programs mid-season.
