Cruz Urges Trump to Sign College Sports Bill Live on ESPN’s College GameDay

Senator Ted Cruz (R‑Texas) told reporters that he would welcome President Donald Trump’s signing of the Protect College Sports Act on ESPN’s “College GameDay.” The proposed bill, which seeks to regulate the commercial aspects of college athletics, has been a priority for Cruz and other GOP lawmakers who argue that the current system disproportionately benefits universities and sponsors at the expense of student‑athletes.

Cruz said the goal of the legislation was “not just to squeak by with 60 votes but to get a big win for the integrity of college sports.” He added that a televised signing would underscore the bill’s significance and highlight the Senate’s commitment to reforming the industry. The act would impose new rules on revenue sharing, athlete compensation, and the use of athletes’ likenesses, and has drawn support from a range of stakeholders, including some university officials and former athletes.

If signed, the Protect College Sports Act would become the first major federal law to address the business model of college athletics in decades. The timing of the signing on a nationally broadcast college‑football program could signal a broader push to bring the sport’s financial practices under tighter federal oversight, a move that could reshape how universities and sponsors operate in the years ahead.