Donald Trump's Plans for College Sports: Insights from His NIL Executive Order Draft
The draft of an executive order by President Trump reveals his administration's vision for college athletics, focusing on name, image, and likeness regulations and broader athlete protections.
CBS News reported Wednesday that President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order establishing national standards for name, image, and likeness initiatives. What that order would entail, and what Trump’s vision for college athletics looks like, have been a relative mystery, until now.
Trump’s administration constructed a seven-page draft of the executive order, titled “SAVING COLLEGE SPORTS,” according to a copy obtained by Yahoo Sports.
The draft suggests what the actual order may look like, aiming to “preserve” college sports from an “unprecedented threat” by introducing sweeping policies addressing many critical issues, including athlete compensation, employment, and the preservation of Olympic sports.
Furthermore, the draft critiques the recent House v. NCAA settlement, asserting it will be “upended soon” by further litigation.
The executive order would instruct the attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission to focus on key areas:
- Protect college leaders from antitrust laws regarding the “long-term availability” of scholarships and opportunities for athletes.
- Prevent “unqualified and unscrupulous agents” from representing athletes in financial deals.
- Produce uniformity in NIL legislation, potentially standardizing the existing patchwork of state laws.
- Collaborate with the U.S. Olympic team to safeguard NCAA Olympic sports and utilize the secretary of education and National Labor Relations Board to clarify athletes’ statuses.
Trump’s early interest in college athletics has emerged in his second term. Reports in May indicated plans to create a college sports commission led by notable Texas Tech supporter Cody Campbell and legendary coach Nick Saban, focused on NIL reform, but the White House has since paused those initiatives. An unrelated College Sports Commission (CSC) was established following the House v. NCAA settlement, enabling athletes to benefit from revenue sharing.
The CSC, in conjunction with consulting firm Deloitte, has also launched an online portal called “NIL Go,” where athletes can report third-party NIL deals to ensure they align with “fair market value” and include a legitimate business purpose based on an actual endorsement.
