Dramatic changes in college sports have drawn the attention of the White House, with two significant figures from college football set to co-chair President Donald Trump’s commission on college athletics—an initiative aimed at addressing the prevalent challenges within the system.

It’s early to determine how former Alabama coach Nick Saban and Texas billionaire Cody Campbell will lead this commission, especially as Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s NIL legislative efforts have faced numerous hurdles. Several officials express that they desire fresh perspectives in such groups rather than insiders.

Cody Campbell is involved in the NIL space, founding the Matador Club at Texas Tech, which has made strides in recruiting and funding.

“If we completely professionalize college sports, further extract and concentrate the excess revenue from football and men’s basketball, college athletics will vanish for many Americans who have valued it for generations,” Campbell noted on April 14.

He and Saban have been critical of NCAA policies, tying their thoughts to larger national issues surrounding college sports reforms. Saban recently voiced his concerns on Capitol Hill regarding the financial inequalities influenced by NIL deals.

The commission aims to tackle several urgent issues facing college athletics today, including NIL regulation and media rights restructuring. With discussions around these concerns escalating, the hope is to facilitate meaningful change that benefits the collegiate model as a whole.