Sports Policy Measures and Industry Donations Loom Large in 2026 Midterm Elections
The PCSA secured a 77-22 favorable vote in the U.S. Senate but is no sure bet to pass the U.S. House before the 120th Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3. Its future–and that of big-time college athletics–could be forever altered by the results of Tuesday’s elections. Team owners combined to donate more than $100 million to campaigns over the past two years.
SCCG Take — Leagues and operators must track House control and new committee priorities, as shifts could either lock in limited antitrust relief or open the door to stricter advertising and participation rules.
U.S. midterm elections on November 3 will shape several sports-related policies, according to Sportico. The Protect College Sports Act sits in limbo after a 77-22 Senate vote, while sports betting legislation, state measures on transgender athletes, and a proposed California tax on billionaires could all advance or stall based on the results. Team owners have poured more than $100 million into campaigns over two years, even as active player donations remain sparse.
PCSA Future Tied to Congressional Control
The PCSA has cleared the Senate but awaits House action with only 20 scheduled session days left in 2026 before recesses and the end of the 119th Congress. Opposition from the Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO centers on the bill's limited scope regarding athlete employment and unionization. A expected Democratic House majority could deprioritize the measure in favor of broader reforms on employment and health protections. Without passage, the PCSA dies and must be reintroduced under new leadership in the 120th Congress. The NCAA continues to face ongoing antitrust lawsuits in the interim.
Betting Legislation and State Ballot Measures
Democrats Rep. Paul Tonko and Sen. Richard Blumenthal have introduced the SAFE Bet Act, which would treat sports betting as a public health issue by restricting ad airtimes and limiting bonus promotions. Congressional control will determine its viability, as would any action on prediction markets where federal courts remain split on state versus commodity regulation. Voters in Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska and Washington will decide on measures to bar transgender athletes from girls' sports; 27 states already maintain such laws. California voters will consider a one-time 5% tax on wealth exceeding $1 billion, potentially affecting several team owners. Sports broadcasts have been saturated with political ads, including a $465,000 spot buy that reached beyond its target markets.
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