College sports could be facing one of the biggest legal and structural shifts in its history. The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on the SCORE Act, a bipartisan bill designed to bring national consistency to NIL rules, revenue sharing, and transfer eligibility. After several years of chaotic change driven by lawsuits, state laws, and the expanding transfer portal, lawmakers are stepping in with the goal of restoring order to a system that has struggled to keep up with athlete mobility and compensation.
The SCORE Act gives the NCAA and the newly created College Sports Commission the authority to create and enforce national rules. One of the most significant pieces of the proposal is the ability to cap how much schools can spend on NIL deals. This would slow the rapid rise of school funded NIL collectives and aim to level the playing field between major conferences and smaller programs. The bill would also allow schools to block athlete NIL deals that conflict with their own sponsorship agreements.
Transfer rules are another major part of the proposal. The bill allows athletes to transfer at least once with immediate eligibility, but it also gives the NCAA the power to set clearer parameters on how often and when athletes can transfer. Supporters argue that this will stabilize rosters and help protect women’s sports and Olympic sports programs that have been especially disrupted by constant roster movement.
Another piece of the legislation writes into law the fair market value system created under the House vs NCAA settlement. The bill also shields the NCAA, conferences, and schools from antitrust lawsuits that could challenge their updated NIL or transfer rules. This protection has been a top priority for the NCAA, which has spent years battling legal challenges to athlete compensation restrictions.
The House vote comes at a time when competing proposals are being introduced on both sides of the political spectrum. Senators Maria Cantwell, Cory Booker, and Richard Blumenthal recently unveiled the SAFE Act, which focuses on athlete protections, expanded revenue sharing for Olympic and women’s sports, media rights pooling, and standardizing transfer rules. Rep. Lori Trahan is also set to introduce a House bill modeled after the Senate’s approach. Her proposal includes national NIL standards, media rights pooling, and a bipartisan Commission to Stabilize College Sports that would have two years to outline a long term governance model.
These competing visions highlight how divided lawmakers have become on this issue. Some believe stronger NCAA authority is needed to preserve competitive balance and protect smaller programs. Others argue that athletes deserve more freedom, not less, and that Congress should prioritize protections, transparency, and long term stability.
No matter which direction Congress moves in, it is clear that college sports is entering a new era. NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal are transforming the landscape faster than the current system can handle. The SCORE Act is the first major attempt to bring national rules to a fragmented environment, and its outcome could influence recruiting, roster construction, athlete mobility, and athletic department budgets for years to come.
College sports is changing rapidly, and the decisions made in Washington could either stabilize the system or reshape it all over again. For student athletes and families, staying informed about these shifts is becoming just as important as understanding scholarships, academics, or the recruiting process.
