Tennessee men's basketball players and the players' association Athletes.org released the first collective bargaining term sheet in college sports on Tuesday, a blueprint that would allow players to negotiate their own salary cap, require a spending floor, and strip schools of up to 100% of their conference payout if they cheat the system. The historic document arrived the same day that a leading supporter of the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) urged the House of Representatives to pass the bill and criticized the idea of collective bargaining.
Competing Blueprints for Control
The PCSA, which passed the Senate 77-22 on September 28, needs House approval by December 17, the chamber's last scheduled day of work. If not signed before the new Congress is sworn in on January 3, the process restarts in a different political environment after Democrats won control of the House and Senate. The term sheet is not a contract; Athletes.org said Tennessee's administration "has not agreed to or endorsed these terms," and the binding structure does not yet exist. However, Tennessee athletics director Danny White backed the concept, calling collective bargaining "a proven model that works across all of professional sports."
Term Sheet Details
Three elected player representatives — graduate student Tyler Lundblade, junior Campbell Duncan, and sophomore DeWayne Brown II — built the proposal with Athletes.org over the summer. Key terms include a single athletic services agreement replacing revenue sharing and school-affiliated NIL deals, a bargained salary cap with a required spending floor and guaranteed minimum pay, postseason and performance bonuses, injury protections ensuring 100% of guaranteed pay for injured players with lifetime medical coverage for catastrophic injuries, a 15-day transfer window opening after the national championship game, and enforcement penalties including loss of up to 100% of conference payouts for cheating. Agents would be certified by Athletes.org with fees capped at 5%, and schools would pay for degree completion if athletics keeps a player out of their intended major.
Political and Legal Battle
The PCSA and the term sheet share similarities: both cap agent fees at 5% and maintain a five-year eligibility clock. The core difference is who polices agents — college athletics' governing associations under the bill, or Athletes.org under the term sheet. The fight centers on whether athletes are employees. Collective bargaining cannot be achieved without changing federal and state laws, critics argue, citing the National Labor Relations Act's exclusion of public employers. Athletes.org proposes a private, multistate entity funded by member schools as the employer, a structure vetted by litigators including Jim Quinn. The PCSA is neutral on employee status after Sen. Ted Cruz dropped a provision barring it due to Democratic opposition. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has said the gap must be addressed through amendments.
Player Perspectives and Opposition
Tennessee player representatives argue the PCSA is unfair, capping player earnings while coaches face no such limits. Athletes.org executive director Brandon Copeland challenged critics to review the proposals and identify why they cannot work. The Congressional Black Caucus condemned the PCSA over HBCU funding, lack of employment rights, and limits on athletes' ability to sue. Twenty-one House Republicans objected to a 20-member cap on power conferences and a three-year waiting period for schools switching leagues. In the lame-duck session, Republicans hold a 218-214 edge, and Congress must first address government funding expiring December 11. A lobbyist told USA Today the PCSA is effectively dead, while SEC commissioner Greg Sankey acknowledged "elections have consequences."
Long Game for Athletes.org
Athletes.org is planning for a longer fight. Officials from other universities contacted the group Tuesday about setting up meetings. Tennessee's football team privately voted to have Athletes.org represent it, with that work on hold until the season ends. Lundblade said the next step is "literally taking this to the SEC and trying to build this thing." Meanwhile, the PCSA races against time and partisan politics, with a House vote expected in December.
