In NIL stalemate, Cruz insists new $48M cap would be a hard cap. SEC, Big Ten not convinced

Sen. Ted Cruz asserts the Protect College Sports Act includes a hard $48.8 million cap to limit third-party NIL payments, but the SEC and Big Ten conferences remain unconvinced. The bill combines a $21.3 million salary cap with a $27.5 million retention pool, though negotiations stalled as the Senate recessed. Key disputes involve defining 'open market' deals and concerns over conflicting with existing revenue-sharing settlements.