Senate Pushes Bipartisan Overhaul of College Athletics Amid NIL Financial Strains

The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on a Cruz-Cantwell bipartisan bill to overhaul college sports, proposing NIL rules, a national governing body with limited antitrust power, a five-year eligibility window, and a two-transaction transfer limit, plus a ban on superconferences. Supporters say the system is collapsing under “pay-for-play” economics and rising costs, while critics from the SEC/Big Ten and Notre Dame warn the measure is incomplete and could have unintended consequences; several senators urged revisions and a markup could come later this month.