{"id":82662,"date":"2026-06-16T20:32:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/nfl-nba-player-unions-back-senate-bill-to-reform-college-sports\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T20:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:32:12","slug":"nfl-nba-player-unions-back-senate-bill-to-reform-college-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/nfl-nba-player-unions-back-senate-bill-to-reform-college-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL, NBA Player Unions Back Senate Bill to Reform College Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

In the letter, the two unions expressed backing for the bill, specifically citing provisions that would guarantee name, image, and likeness \u2014 or NIL \u2014 rights for college athletes, along with medical and healthcare benefits.<\/p>

“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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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” \u2014 a restriction that would prevent coaches from leaving their programs mid-season.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The player unions for the NFL and NBA have sent a letter to Senate Commerce Committee leaders expressing support for a new bill aimed at reforming college athletics. The legislation, introduced May 27, would guarantee NIL rights, provide healthcare benefits, and place new limits on athlete transfers and coach departures. While the bill has notable backers, its path through the Senate remains uncertain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":82661,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[836],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781656331642.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-lvg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":83556,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/senate-committee-puts-college-sports-reform-bill-to-the-test\/","url_meta":{"origin":82662,"position":0},"title":"Senate Committee Puts College Sports Reform Bill to the Test","author":"Admin","date":"June 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A bipartisan bill aimed at reshaping college sports is facing a critical moment in the U.S. Senate, with the Senate Commerce Committee set to debate and potentially vote on a revised version. The Protect College Sports Act would regulate player payments, limit transfers, and restrict mid-season coaching changes. Support for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/sports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781785932482.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781785932482.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781785932482.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/news-1781785932482.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72945,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/senators-propose-new-bill-to-reform-college-sports-payments-and-transfers\/","url_meta":{"origin":82662,"position":1},"title":"Senators Propose New Bill to Reform College Sports Payments and Transfers","author":"Admin","date":"May 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Two senators from opposite parties have unveiled legislation aimed at addressing chaos in college athletics by regulating player payments and limiting transfers. The bill would also restrict coaching changes during seasons and create new antitrust protections for the NCAA.","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/sports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779935859580.jpg?fit=1158%2C762&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779935859580.jpg?fit=1158%2C762&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779935859580.jpg?fit=1158%2C762&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779935859580.jpg?fit=1158%2C762&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779935859580.jpg?fit=1158%2C762&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72688,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/senators-propose-bipartisan-bill-to-reform-college-sports-payments-and-transfers\/","url_meta":{"origin":82662,"position":2},"title":"Senators Propose Bipartisan Bill to Reform College Sports Payments and Transfers","author":"Admin","date":"May 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Two senators from opposite parties have crafted legislation aimed at addressing chaos in college athletics by regulating player payments and limiting transfers. The Protect College Sports Act would also restrict coaches from changing jobs mid-season and require conferences to support women's and Olympic sports.","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/sports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779899928165.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779899928165.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779899928165.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779899928165.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25609,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/tennessee-house-passes-bill-allowing-citizens-to-refuse-recognizing-gay-marriages\/","url_meta":{"origin":82662,"position":3},"title":"Tennessee House Passes Bill Allowing Citizens to Refuse Recognizing Gay Marriages","author":"Admin","date":"February 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Tennessee's House of Representatives has approved legislation that would permit private individuals and organizations to decline recognition of same-sex marriages without facing penalties. 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