Bill would Amend the Sports Broadcasting Act to Address College Sports’ Revenue Problem.
Amend the Sports Broadcasting Act to address problems with college sports revenue.
Occurrences
Evidence
On March 6, 2026, Senators Eric Schmitt and Maria Cantwell released a bipartisan discussion draft of the College Sports Competitiveness Act, aiming to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act to allow colleges to pool their media rights in broadcast negotiations. This amendment is intended to generate more revenue for college sports and address existing revenue disparities.
The College Sports Competitive Act, introduced by Senators Cantwell and Schmitt, proposes amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to allow colleges to pool their media rights in broadcast negotiations. This change is projected to generate over $9 billion in new revenue for college sports, aiming to stabilize schools in the era of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
On February 13, 2026, Senator Schmitt unveiled a national blueprint to restore stability in college athletics. The blueprint outlines four core principles, including securing stability, fixing the framework, protecting players and non-revenue sports, and putting fans first. It emphasizes the need for congressional action to safeguard the future of college sports.
On April 3, 2026, Senator Cantwell released a statement regarding President Trump's executive order on college sports, highlighting the need for bipartisan discussions to increase revenue and support women's and Olympic sports. She referenced the College Sports Competitive Act as a legislative effort to address these issues.
Assessments
Senator Schmitt has introduced and promoted legislation proposing to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act to address college sports revenue issues, including the bipartisan College Sports Competitive Act. However, the evidence only shows the introduction and advocacy for the legislation and related plans, not its passage or implementation. Therefore, the promise is partially fulfilled due to serious and visible legislative effort within the same term.
Senator Schmitt introduced, promoted, and publicized bipartisan draft legislation explicitly aimed at amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to address revenue issues in college sports. Multiple press releases and a comprehensive policy blueprint describe these legislative efforts and their intended impact. However, the available evidence only confirms introduction and advocacy, not actual passage or enactment of the amendment. Thus, the promise is partially fulfilled through significant, visible legislative effort.
Senator Schmitt has taken significant legislative action by co-introducing and publicizing a bipartisan draft bill (the College Sports Competitive Act) aimed at amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to address revenue problems in college sports. There is also evidence of public plans and advocacy for congressional solutions. However, the evidence does not confirm the passage or final enactment of the proposed amendment, so the promise can be considered partially fulfilled based on substantial and public legislative effort, but not full delivery.