Why Auburn and Alabama United Against the Protect College Sports Act

On a balmy Tuesday in Tampa, just as the SEC Media Days were kicking off, something unexpected caught the attention of reporters: the two fiercest rivals in college football – Auburn and Alabama – were standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder, not on the field but in a joint press briefing. Their message was clear and a little surprising – they both opposed the newly introduced Protect College Sports Act.

The bill, first introduced in the U.S. Senate in May 2026, is pitched as a bipartisan fix for the ongoing name‑image‑likeness (NIL) turmoil. Its drafters say it would standardize NIL rules across the nation, protect Olympic and women's sports, and even grant the NCAA a narrow antitrust exemption. On paper, that sounds like a win‑win.

But for John Cohen, Auburn’s athletic director, and the unnamed officials from Alabama, the reality felt far messier. “It’s pretty powerful when our arch‑rivals agree on something,” Cohen said, chuckling, as he adjusted his microphone. He wasn’t the signatory of the joint letter – that role fell to the schools’ legal teams – but he backed the sentiment wholeheartedly.

The joint letter, released earlier that week, laid out four main worries. First, it would undermine the enforcement mechanisms that emerged from the 2022 House settlement on NIL, essentially tearing up a hard‑won framework. Second, the bill would open the door to private‑right lawsuits, a move Cohen warned could flood schools with litigation they’re not equipped to handle.

Third, the legislation threatens to “micromanage” core aspects of college athletics – from roster decisions to scheduling – which most administrators see as a dangerous overreach. And fourth, the letter flagged a more subtle danger: by forcing schools to pool media‑rights revenue, the bill could hand a lucrative foothold to private‑equity investors, penalizing programs that have built their brand the traditional way.

“In its current form, it solves little of what genuinely challenges college athletics and leaves the central questions to the courts,” the letter read. The language was blunt, almost apologetic, acknowledging that while Congress is paying attention, the proposed solution feels half‑baked.

Alongside Auburn and Alabama, the article noted that Texas and Texas A&M have also voiced opposition, suggesting a growing coalition of power‑houses that see the bill as more threat than remedy. Yet, the specifics of the “opportunities that haven’t been fully vetted” – a phrase Cohen tossed out during the press conference – remain vague, hinting at negotiations that are still very much in flux.

What’s certain is that the Protect College Sports Act, despite its lofty goals, has ignited a fresh debate about who gets to decide the rules governing college athletes’ newfound earning power. As the SEC Media Days continue, the dialogue between lawmakers and university leaders is set to intensify, with Auburn and Alabama leading the charge – together, for once.