Trump’s Executive Order on College Sports
President Trump has signed a new executive order aimed at reworking college sports, mainly focused on capping the eligibility duration for players and limiting transfers.
According to reports, the order permits college athletes to compete for up to five seasons within a five-year window and allows for a single transfer before they graduate without losing a season. Schools that fail to comply with these guidelines may face the risk of losing federal funding.
However, there are significant legal hurdles that could impede the implementation of this order. Trump acknowledged these challenges during a discussion with former college coaches and administrators last month.
The key uncertainty lies in whether certain provisions of the order can actually be enforced. Legal experts have suggested that if the order is taken to court, it could likely be ruled unconstitutional or otherwise unenforceable.
While the president’s intention to use federal funding as leverage to ensure compliance is genuine, a recent federal court ruling blocked the government’s attempt to withhold funds from Harvard University due to the institution’s handling of anti-Semitic behavior.
The landscape of college sports has transformed dramatically in recent years, with changes that once seemed unlikely. Nowadays, it’s common to see athletes applying for a sixth or even seventh year of eligibility, driven by increased financial incentives stemming from name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements. Players frequently transfer multiple times during their college careers as well.
The president has shown a consistent interest in addressing these concerns. One of the Chancellor’s main initiatives involves curbing exploitative NIL practices, such as those by organizations linked to boosters that pay athletes beyond what’s fair market value. The order also forbids “collectives” from directly compensating players, irrespective of their NIL value.
Additionally, the executive order introduces revenue-sharing measures that aim to either maintain or increase scholarship funding for women’s sports and Olympic events, while restricting the use of federal funds in relation to NIL or revenue sharing.
On Capitol Hill, there are ongoing negotiations between Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Maria Cantwell, who are working towards a bipartisan bill this spring. Cruz emphasized earlier this year that it is “absolutely important” that the new legislation includes terms preventing college athletes from being classified as school employees. Some Democrats argue that treating athletes as employees and allowing collective bargaining might pave the way for a more stable future in college sports. Still, the employment classification is considered one of the biggest challenges in achieving a compromise.
It’s worth noting that the executive order does not tackle other critical unresolved matters within college sports, such as employment status or Cantwell’s suggestions for changing how revenue from television deals is allocated among schools.
