The NCAA believed it had things under control. That’s why Charlie Baker gave a cautious response when the Protect College Sports Act was first introduced. But when they keep facing another court ruling, state law, or eligibility dispute every few weeks, a higher authority looks more necessary than ever. Now, with the bill heading to a Senate markup on Thursday, the NCAA president is making his strongest public push.

In a lengthy statement posted on X, Charlie Baker formally backed the Protect College Sports Act, calling it a necessary step. 

“Every sports league needs rules, and there are certain challenges to NCAA rules that only Congress can address,” he wrote. “The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act’s sections bolstering eligibility, transfer, and agent policies are needed now to deliver on that obligation… While the bill does not address every issue college sports face, the current state of play cannot continue, and we must move the bill forward.”

It’s not hard to see where this urgency is coming from. Just days ago, the NCAA found itself in another legal mess after Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby was ruled eligible by a judge who granted an injunction against the NCAA’s decision. The association had declared him ineligible amid gambling allegations, only to watch a court step in and override its authority. And that’s the point Charlie Baker is trying to make.

It’s not just Sorsby. In December 2024, a Tennessee judge ruled Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia could play after a court blocked the NCAA’s ‘Five-Year Rule’ over his junior college time. Then in 2025, similar injunctions hit football players in New Jersey, Nevada, and West Virginia. Each one is a blow to the NCAA’s ability to enforce consistent eligibility rules. Charlie Baker isn’t just asking for help. He’s begging for it.

The NCAA can make rules for transfers, eligibility, and player movement. But it has struggled to enforce them when players take legal action. More and more court rulings have gone against the organization, making it harder for the NCAA to maintain consistent rules across college sports. That’s why Charlie Baker believes Congress needs to step in with rules that schools, athletes, and the NCAA can all follow.

The president also highlighted what he views as progress already made under the NCAA’s watch. 

“Today, DI student-athletes receive $1billion in financial benefits, billions more in scholarships,” he wrote. “Additionally, the NCAA now mandates access to health, wellness, and educational benefits, like guaranteed scholarships.”

But Charlie Baker believes the biggest problems still haven’t been fixed. Right now, courts in different states can make different decisions on athlete eligibility, transfers, and player compensation. That creates confusion because the rules aren’t being applied consistently everywhere. That’s why he says Congress must step in and also urged the schools across the country to work together to help make that happen.

“I look forward to working alongside our student-athlete leaders and all 1,100 schools to advance this bill and make changes to ensure it’s as effective as possible,” he added. School support remains divided.

Charlie Baker wants changes despite feeling cautious

Even while endorsing the bill, Charlie Baker isn’t pretending it’s perfect. Last week, he told NCAA schools that he wants some changes made to the bill before it becomes law. Even so, he believes it is still the best chance college sports has to bring stability and clear rules to an increasingly chaotic system.

“We are running out of time, and this bipartisan bill is the best chance to ensure college sports will continue to thrive for all 550,000 current college athletes and for years to come,” he wrote in a letter shared by Yahoo Sports last week. 

The ACC, Big 12, NFL, and MLB have publicly supported the bill. The SEC and Big Ten reject the Protect College Sports Act as drafted, demanding broad structural revisions rather than just agent-related changes. Even Texas Tech, fresh off its Brendan Sorsby battle, backs the proposal fully.

“We know that, until there is Congressional action, Texas Tech, like every other institution, must continue to operate under the rules, the legal environment, and general chaos that persists,” booster Cody Campbell wrote in a statement. “Fortunately, there is a promising light at the end of the tunnel: the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, which will finally put a stop to this insanity. This bill has our full support.”

Whether the Senate advances the bill remains uncertain. If the bill stalls, the chaos won’t stop. More injunctions will flood in. Recruiting will spin into confusion. Athletes will face uncertainty about whether they can play next season, or even this one. Baker’s message is clear: standing still is no longer an option.