A Senate revision cut the Protect College Sports Act’s conference-hopping penalty from five years of independence to three and added a six-year sunset, effectively removing the barrier by 2032.
The rollback followed pushback from power conferences and politicians, with congressional sources telling Sports Illustrated that ACC-linked interests—especially in Florida on behalf of Florida State and Miami—pressed against stricter limits.
That timetable lines up with major media and playoff contract expirations in the early 2030s, when another realignment wave is widely expected and the Big Ten and SEC could still expand under a 19-school cap.
The bill had been designed to deter another breakup after the SEC and Big Ten raided the Big 12 and Pac-12; critics now warn the softer language could accelerate spending and leave the ACC most exposed.