Proposed Legislative Caps Target Power Four Expansion

CBS Sports reports that lawmakers are weighing changes to the Protect College Sports Act that would limit membership in the Power Four conferences to 19 or 20 teams. The proposed changes, which include a 20-team cap suggested by Republicans, aim to slow the seismic shifts in college athletics by requiring any Power Four program wishing to switch conferences to first spend at least five years as an independent.

Sources told CBS Sports that Notre Dame and UConn would be exempt from this waiting period as they are already independent. Additionally, the updated language would prohibit any conference reporting $700 million or more in revenue from absorbing, acquiring, or merging with another conference or its membership, effectively blocking a potential super league merger between the Big Ten and the SEC.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey expressed objection to the membership freeze during the conference's annual media days, questioning why such provisions were included. While the SEC submitted 10 "commonsense suggestions" in June to strengthen antitrust and preemption language, the conference and the Big Ten have refused to back the bill in its current form. Other core objections to the bipartisan bill drafted by Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell include a media-pooling provision in Title II and a private right of action that would allow athletes to sue schools over scholarship protections, health and safety standards, and NIL rights.

Sankey noted that frustrations over the current legislative environment have led to discussions regarding self-governance models and a potential breakaway from the NCAA, though he maintained that the national organization still holds value. The bill has already received support from the NFL, 267 colleges and universities, and 24 conferences, but it faces a potential Senate floor vote later this month.