Rick Barnes and other coaches support the Protect College Sports Act

2 sources1 min read • Latest: Sep 12, 2026, 9:40 PM

Last updated Sep 12, 2026

Rick Barnes and other coaches support the Protect College Sports Act
Summary

Tennessee men's basketball coach Rick Barnes will join over 30 coaches and athletes at a press conference on Sept. 14 in Washington, D.C. Hosted by Sen. Ted Cruz, the event addresses the Protect College Sports Act, which aims to establish federal regulations for college athletics. The proposed bill targets major issues including conference realignment, the transfer portal, and name, image and likeness payments. Under the current proposal, conferences with over $700 million in revenue would face membership limits, and undergraduate athletes would be granted one free transfer. Additionally, the act includes roster spending caps and restrictions on coaching staff changes. The bill currently holds support from the SEC and Big Ten and could face a Senate vote as early as next week following the conclusion of the congressional recess.

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Status Watch
  • Rick Barnes joins John Calipari, Mark Few, and Kelvin Sampson at a D.C. press conference.
  • The Protect College Sports Act regulates conference membership for leagues exceeding $700 million in revenue.
  • Proposed rules include a $22.5 million annual limit on roster spending for athlete retention.
  • The Senate could move to vote on the legislation as early as the week of Sept. 14.
  • The bill requires 60 votes in the Senate to advance to the House of Representatives.
Latest Updates
  • 9:40 PMYahoo SportsRick Barnes to appear alongside Ted Cruz in support of Protect College Sports Act
What they're saying
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Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes will be in attendance when Ted Cruz hosts a press conference on to discuss the Protect College Sports Act.

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