President Trump Issues Executive Order Targeting College Sports and NIL Deals

President Trump has signed a sweeping executive order aimed at reshaping college athletics by banning “pay-for-play” NIL (name, image, likeness) deals and mandating scholarship protections for women’s and Olympic sports. The order threatens to withhold federal funds from noncompliant schools and directs agencies like the Department of Education and the FTC to enforce new regulations. While its legal enforceability is uncertain, the order aligns with ongoing NCAA efforts to maintain amateurism amid recent legal settlements that allow direct athlete compensation. The directive comes amid rising concerns that lucrative NIL deals and new legal frameworks could marginalize non-revenue sports. Legal scholars and sports administrators remain divided on the order’s implications, with some praising the focus on equity and others warning of partisan overreach. The five major athletic conferences endorsed the measure, urging Congress to codify federal protections.

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Source: NPR