Penning a letter of support directly obtained by USA TODAY Sports for the proposed Protect College Sports Act, the Football Bowl Subdivision Athletics Directors Association on Tuesday, Sept. 1, made its stance on the 171-page bill public.
Awaiting a floor vote when Senate resumes in mid-September, the PCSA boasts bi-partisan support - with initial co-sponsors from Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) - and seeks to broad oversight regarding collegiate athletics, specifically as it pertains to transfer rules, when coaches can be fired/hired and potential expansion as well as guardrails on revenue-sharing and Name, Image and Likeness monies. It also includes a carve-out for potential extra financial investment into women's and Olympic,
non-revenue sports.
"On behalf of the members of the Football Bowls Subdivision Athletics Directors Association, I write to express our strong support for the Protect College Sports Act of 2026," the letter, attributed to FBS Executive Athletics Directors Association head Dan Radakovich, read, "and to thank you for your leadership in advancing legislation to address some of the most significant challenges faces college athletics."
A former athletics director at Clemson who stepped down from his post at Miami (Fla.) on June 1, 2026, Radakovich's letter further outlined the collective stance of A.D.s at the top level of college football.
"As athletics directors, our members are responsible for putting college sports policy into practice every day, supporting student-athletes, supervising coaches and compliance staffs, managing rosters and resources, and planning for the long-term success of broad-based athletics programs," Radakovich wrote. "We believe this legislation addresses the issues where congressional action is most needed.
"Our members feel the impacts of today's fragmented legal and regulatory environment firsthand. The current system has contributed to annual roster turnover, inconsistent eligibility guidance, unregulated agent activity, recruiting inducements, and school-connected spending routed through third parties to circumvent a common compensation framework."
USA TODAY Sports reported extensively Tuesday, Aug. 25, about the arrival of the $50 million roster this season in college football and that literally dozens of FBS head coaches, general managers and agents in the NIL space tabbed at least 11 programs with roster spends around or above $40 million.
"For our members, the need is straightforward: student-athletes should have clear rights and protection," Radakovich's letter continued. "Institutions should compete under common and enforceable rules, and athletics departments should be able to make long-term decisions with greater certainty."
NCAA moves toward allowing joint football practices
Perhaps most notably, Colorado coach Deion Sanders and Syracuse coach Fran Brown sought to have their respective FBS teams host joint spring football practices.
The NCAA, back in 2025, was not ready to adopt or allow such a proposal on the fly.
Now, however, college athletics' governing body is a step closer to allowing joint practices between two four-year institutions - at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
The NCAA noted the first hurdle was cleared in procedures conducted Monday, Aug. 31.
Per the NCAA's release, "FCS Programs would be able to engage in a joint practice with another four-year school during the spring academic term."
The NCAA also noted that it had advanced a proposal to allow the preseason practice period at the FCS level to include up to 21 practices in a 27-day span.
The notification of transfer period also would shrink from 15 days to 10, beginning with the first business day of the 2027 year, which would be Jan. 4, 2027, for the coming period.
The Division I Cabinet will meet Oct. 6-7, 2026, to vote on these potential policy changes, as well as other items at the FBS level.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Athletic directors pick a side in college sports' biggest fight
