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U.S. President Donald Trump looks on while hosting a reception for the reigning Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the Rose Garden at the White House, Washington, D.C., U.S., July 23, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Both the Big Ten and the SEC had previously opposed the Protect College Sports Act in its current version. But the two conferences changed their mind after United States President Donald Trump got involved, and people are not happy about it.
In a surprising change of opinion, both the Big Ten and SEC voted Friday evening to back the Protect College Sports Act as currently written, helping move the bill one step closer to becoming law. And it came after a controversial threat from Trump.
Big Ten and SEC Previously Opposed the Act
The Protect College Sports Act is a bipartisan measure introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell that aims to create a consistent national framework for college athletics. Among its provisions, the bill regulates Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation, establishes uniform transfer and eligibility rules, and grants limited antitrust protections to governing organizations.
Despite supporting broader national reform, college football’s two most influential conferences had not backed the legislation.
Last month, the Big Ten and SEC released a joint statement expressing support for nationwide reform while arguing that the Protect College Sports Act still left “critical issues unresolved.”
“The Big Ten Conference and the Southeastern Conference support a sustainable national framework for college sports – one with an effective transfer portal, clear eligibility standards, and protections and benefits for student-athletes. While we appreciate the leadership of Senators Cruz and Cantwell in pursuing these shared goals, we do not support the Protect College Sports Act as drafted.
“The bill leaves critical issues unresolved. It does not meaningfully preempt the patchwork of state laws or provide the protections needed to make and enforce consistent rules, both essential to long-term stability in college athletics. It also shifts ongoing rulemaking to Congress, limiting the ability to adapt quickly as the landscape evolves. Rather than reducing litigation, the bill likely expands it without offering clear alternatives for dispute resolution. Finally, the bill alters the House settlement revenue sharing framework in a way that may result in fewer student-athletes receiving direct revenue share payments.
“We are committed to working with Senators Cruz and Cantwell and other members of Congress to improve this legislation so that it can provide lasting stability for college athletics.”
Trump Gets Involved
Although the Big Ten and SEC had consistently voiced opposition to the bill, that stance changed Friday night when the conferences released a joint statement announcing their support for the legislation.
“The Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference support the Protect College Sports Act as currently drafted, following detailed and productive negotiations with Senators Cruz, Cantwell and Schmitt and their respective staffs,” the statement read. “We appreciate the substantial work that has gone into this effort.”
The reversal came as a surprise, especially since the legislation itself had not undergone any significant changes after it failed to advance on Thursday. According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, however, the shift followed “aggressive” involvement from the White House, with Trump reportedly threatening to “publicly condemn” the Big Ten and SEC if they continued opposing the bill.
“U.S. president Donald Trump engaged with stakeholders through intermediaries on Thursday evening, stating his intent to publicly condemn Big Ten and SEC leaders for opposing the bill, presumably through a social media account followed by millions,” Dellinger wrote for Yahoo Sports.
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) told Yahoo Sports that he later spoke with Trump to share the development.
“He’s happy,” the lawmaker said.
‘Extortion, Blackmail, etc.’
Needless to say, Trump’s involvement quickly sparked outrage from fans on social media who blasted the president for meddling in college sports.
“He totally manipulated them with his threats. They caved rather quickly. Extortion, blackmail, etc.,” one person wrote in a post on X.
“People get in a fetal position in fear over the thought of getting bashed on truth social. Weak,” someone else wrote.
“So…let me get this straight…. A factor in SEC and Big Ten university presidents approving this bill is that they were afraid of being the target of future social media posts by President Donald Trump?! Seriously?!” another commenter added.
“Donald Trump screwing his core voters in the SEC is so on brand for him,” someone else commented.
“Rule of thumb: if Trump supports it, it’s likely a grift or just a bad idea bound for failure,” someone else said.
This is not the first time that Trump has inserted himself into the sports world in a controversial way, and it’s unlikely to be the last.
The post ‘He totally manipulated them’: Donald Trump sparks outrage with ‘blackmail’ against college football appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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