Senate Democrats Introduce SAFE Act to Expand College Sports Media Rights and Athlete Protections

The Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act, introduced by Democratic Senators Maria Cantwell, Cory Booker, and Richard Blumenthal, seeks to establish the first federal rights and protections for college athletes, including national standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and health and safety measures. A key feature of the bill is amending the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 to permit colleges and universities to collectively negotiate media rights, similar to professional leagues, aiming to increase revenue and support non-revenue sports like women's and Olympic sports. The legislation also proposes creating an NCAA committee to oversee fair distribution of these revenues, ensuring schools can maintain scholarship and roster levels. The SAFE Act is considered player-friendly and aligns more with President Donald Trump's vision for college sports, contrasting with the Republican SCORE Act that seeks broader antitrust exemptions. It includes provisions allowing players two free transfers, the ability to return to college after the NFL draft, sports agent fee caps, and privacy protections for NIL contracts. Despite its broad scope, the bill faces significant challenges in Congress but represents a notable federal effort to address ongoing financial and regulatory issues in collegiate athletics.