The Protect College Sports Act failed to reach a vote during an all‑night, pre‑recess session in the Senate that ended early Saturday, but the bill was moved to next month’s calendar for a September vote. The measure has been touted as a way to put guardrails around an escalating spending spree in college sports as the industry adapts to a new model in which teams can pay players.

Majority Leader John Thune said the bill “needs to be fixed” and that it has a good solution. The Act was rescued from near death after the Big Ten and SEC signed on, yet it faced a reality check from lawmakers in SEC states, including Tommy Tuberville and Josh Hawley, who were among its biggest skeptics. The Congressional Black Caucus and AFL‑CIO also opposed it, and competing amendments pushed the bill to the back of the agenda.

Key features would redefine third‑party NIL deals and expand the revenue share to up to $48.8 million, while keeping the current cap of $21.3 million for school‑shared income. The law would also allow “organic” third‑party deals that aren’t tied to existing school arrangements, aiming to curb runaway costs.

If the Senate passes it, the bill will face a steep climb in the House, which has struggled to bring the less athlete‑friendly SCORE Act to a vote. Christy Hedgpeth, president of Playfly Sports Properties, warned that NIL revenue will continue to grow, noting that many rosters will have dozens of players with multiple deals.