Negotiators in the U.S. Senate break for the weekend without action on a proposed bill intended to regulate college sports and NIL payments, according to reports. A central dispute involves whether the legislation would function as a true “hard” salary cap that would restrict or eliminate certain third-party compensation currently increasing roster costs. Senator Ted Cruz is reported to insist that the proposed cap would operate as a hard cap. Under the framework described by sources, the bill would add to an existing $21.3 million salary cap, raising the total to about $48.8 million. However, not all parties are convinced that the bill’s language would achieve the intended restrictions. The SEC and Big Ten are among the conferences described as not fully satisfied with how the proposal would work in practice, particularly regarding whether third-party payments would be curtailed as a result of the new cap. With no agreement reached yet, the measure remains under negotiation as the Senate pauses until after the weekend.