Prohibition on certain conference mergers or acquisition

The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 is amended by inserting after section 6 (as added by section 204 of this Act) the following: 7. Prohibition on certain conference mergers and acquisitions (a) In general Violation of antitrust laws It shall be unlawful under the antitrust laws, as defined in section 1(a), for for— (1) any covered conference that reported more than $1,000,000,000 $700,000,000 in revenue on its fiscal year 2025 tax return to or any subsequent tax return to— (A) merge or consolidate with, or to acquire the assets, assets or media rights (including media rights of an institution), or membership of, another conference, covered conference or a covered institution, if as a result of the transaction, the number of institutions that are members of the covered conference would be less than 75 percent of the membership requirements under section 5(b)(1)(A). institutions participating in the Football Bowl Subdivision, as defined by Bylaw 20.9.9 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association; or (B) acquire the assets or media rights of an institution that is not a covered institution, unless, as a result of the transaction, the number of institutions that are members of the covered conference does not exceed 20 institutions; or (2) any entity to merge with, acquire, or consolidate the assets or media rights of a covered institution, or multiple covered institutions, for the purpose of creating a new conference or intercollegiate athletic association. (b) Defenses not applicable A transaction prohibited under subsection (a) may not be justified by efficiencies, procompetitive effects, or any other defense under the antitrust laws, as defined in section 1(a). (c) Effect Any transaction consummated in violation of subsection (a) shall be void..void. (d) No impact on covered entity Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the creation of the covered entity under section 5. (e) Applicability Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to apply to a covered conference that— (1) is in existence on the date of enactment of this section or a subsidiary of such covered conference; and (2) has not reported more than $700,000,000 on its fiscal year 2025 tax return or any subsequent tax return. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered conference The term covered conference means a conference, the primary athletic revenue of which is derived from the sale or transfer of media rights relating to intercollegiate football. (2) Covered institution The term covered institution — (A) for purposes of subsection (a)(1)— (i) during the 6-year period beginning on the date of enactment of the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, means an institution that has, at least once in the preceding 3 years, competed in intercollegiate football as a member of a covered conference that reported more than $700,000,000 in revenue on its fiscal year 2025 tax return or any subsequent tax return; and (ii) after the termination of the period described in clause (i), means an institution that, as of the day before the date of a transaction described in subsection (a)(1), competes in intercollegiate football as a member of a covered conference that reported more than $700,000,000 in revenue on its fiscal year 2025 tax return or any subsequent tax return; and (B) for purposes of subsection (a)(2), means an institution that has, at least once in the preceding 5 years, competed in intercollegiate football as a member of a covered conference that reported more than $700,000,000 in revenue on its fiscal year 2025 tax return or any subsequent tax return..