By Vinny Porco

On Sept. 9, President Gerry Bradley joined eight other in-state university presidents in signing a letter addressed to Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. The letter, just over a page in length, expresses support for the June 2026 bill titled “Protect College Sports Act.”

“College athletics is operating in an increasingly uncertain environment shaped by a patchwork of state laws, ongoing litigation and rapidly changing rules governing NIL, transfers, eligibility and athlete compensation,” they stated.

The letter mirrors earlier sentiments expressed in a March 2, 2026 “Op-Ed” released university-wide by Bradley, Athletic Director Josh Heird and Trustee Larry Benz. “From the Arena, Not the Sidelines” was over 3,600 words in length and called for legislative action in college athletics based on U of L and other institutions’ newfound difficulties.

Letter to the senators

The Sept. 9 letter, endorsed by others such as University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto and Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni, now had a specific piece of legislation to point to.

The bipartisan bill titled “Protect College Sports Act of 2026” was co-authored by senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Maria Cantwell of Washington, and is co-sponsored by several senators from both major parties.

The bill begins by prohibiting any institutional restriction of student athletes’ NIL opportunities, but stipulating they must report any compensation of $600 or more to their school. Additionally, the bill would cap “agent endorsement contract fees” to 5%.

The bill would also prohibit circumvention of the House Settlement’s revenue sharing limit by institutions or related entities. The 2025 settlement, among other things, allowed athletic departments to pay players directly under a new system of “revenue sharing.”

For the 2026-27 academic year, the revenue sharing limit for athletic programs across all teams is $21.3 million.

Regarding transfers, the bill would allow student athletes to transfer only one time in their career.

One provision, colloquially dubbed the “Lane Kiffin Rule,” would prohibit any “football personnel” from becoming head coach at another institution in the same football season. The provision follows Kiffin’s late-season departure from playoff-bound Ole Miss to Louisiana State University. Pete Golding, the Rebels’ current head coach, guided them through the remainder of the season and playoffs.

Lincoln Kienholz runs the ball during the season opener against Ole Miss on Sept. 6, 2026 at Nissan Stadium during the Music City Kickoff event. (Photo by Adam Mouchrani / The Louisville Cardinal)

The presidents expressed confidence in the bill’s ability to weather the NIL-era storm. “While no single piece of legislation can address every challenge facing intercollegiate athletics, this bill is a viable and important step toward establishing a stable, consistent national framework for college sports,” the presidents wrote.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has made two amendments to the bill to this point. The Protect College Sports Act is likely to be voted on in the Senate within the next two weeks.

Feature Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal