Proposal Gains Broadcaster Backing for Local Sports Access.

Broadcasters are lining up behind a new Senate bill that would reshape college sports — and guarantee local, over-the-air TV access to football and basketball games.

Introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement, or SAFE Act (S. 2932), seeks to establish the first-ever federal protections for student athletes while also amending the Sports Broadcasting Act to ensure games remain available on local outlets.

For broadcasters, the most significant provision is the requirement that football and basketball games be made available on at least one free, local broadcast outlet on a non-exclusive basis in each school’s market. The bill doesn’t specify whether that is radio or television. Enforcement would be put in the hands of the Federal Communications Commission. That mandate comes as Big Tech and streaming giants have increasingly locked high-demand sports content behind subscription paywalls.

The National Association of Broadcasters welcomes the proposal. “The availability of college sports on free, local broadcast outlets strengthens the unique connection between universities, their communities and the student athletes who inspire them,” NAB President Curtis LeGeyt said. “At a time when Big Tech is locking more content behind costly paywalls, this bill will ensure that games remain accessible to the widest possible audience through broadcast television.”

Morgan Murphy Media, which owns television stations in 13 states, said Cantwell’s bill helps preserve a tradition of public service. “Broadcast TV reaches all corners of our country for free to the viewer. We continue to believe the public should have free access to the teams, coaches and inspiring athletes instead of the increasing move by Big Tech to acquire rights and lock them behind paywalls,” the company said in a statement.

Cantwell’s bill will also require broadcast networks, streaming media platforms, or other distributors who control streaming media rights, to turn those rights back over to schools if they aren’t using them. The sponsors say that will strengthen digital distribution rights for athletic competitions other than football and basketball while also allowing non-revenue-generating sports to grow through narrowcasting.

The SAFE Act will also allow colleges to pool their media rights — similar to how the NFL and NBA sell television rights — aimed at leveling the playing field for smaller schools and ensuring women’s and Olympic sports continue to receive funding. By strengthening the collective value of media rights, the legislation could provide stability in an industry roiled by skyrocketing rights fees and widening gaps between the Power Two conferences — SEC and Big Ten — and everyone else. Last month, Sen. Cantwell released a report showing how skyrocketing media rights payments have exacerbated a massive financial gap between traditional power conferences.

Beyond broadcast access, the bill creates a uniform national standard for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation, strengthens health and safety protections, and reins in bad-actor agents — including a 5% cap on fees.

The Sports Fans Coalition hailed the measure for protecting both athletes and audiences. “It ensures local fans can always watch their teams for free, while ensuring continued investment in women’s and non-revenue-generating sports, so there’s even more to cheer for,” Executive Director Brian Hess said. Labor groups like the AFL-CIO have also praised the bill for centering athlete voices instead of conference commissioners or the NCAA.

Cantwell’s bill, which is co-sponsored by Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), takes a different approach from the proposed SCORE Act that’s working its way through the House. It would create a new revenue-sharing system that critics say would benefit the big schools.

Over the past five years, college athletics has changed significantly after many states passed laws to allow athletes to earn compensation from their NIL, creating a patchwork of rules that upended how schools recruit, train, and retain athletes. The college sports landscape was further changed by the unanimous Supreme Court decision in 2021 that paved the way for college athletes to earn money from playing sports. A recent settlement also allows schools to directly compensate athletes, up to 22% of athletics revenue.