NCAA Advances Rule Changes Aligned with President Trump

This week, the NCAA moved closer to implementing rule changes that align with President Trump’s vision for college athletics.

For an extended period, the president has advocated for major reforms in the realm of college sports, primarily aimed at regulating transfers, payments, and eligibility criteria for student-athletes.

On Monday, the Senate approved the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 with a decisive 77-22 vote, thanks to sponsorship from Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

This development follows Trump’s executive order from April that called for urgent national action on this topic and garnered backing from prominent college coaches.

While the proposed legislation appears to uphold the interests of traditional colleges, it also aims to support student-athletes. For instance, the bill prevents educational institutions and conferences from restricting student-athletes from entering name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements. Students must notify their institution of any NIL compensation exceeding $600.

Further adjustments are set to limit the movement of players and personnel. Specifically, student-athletes will only be permitted one transfer during their collegiate career before having to wait a year to play.

The changes would also overhaul the five-year eligibility framework, substituting the redshirt system with a fixed eligibility window. Now, five years of eligibility will commence at either the beginning of the academic year after the athlete turns 19 or on their first day of full-time enrollment in college, depending on which comes first.

Additionally, the bill restricts football staff from transitioning to head coaching roles at different institutions within the same season.

However, the bill still requires approval from the House before it can become law, likely delaying progress until after the midterm elections. Nonetheless, the Senate vote was described by Trump as “a really big deal.”

In his remarks on Truth Social, Trump noted, “It will not only save college sports, but it will save the colleges themselves. Congratulations to Randy Levine, President of the New York Yankees, and everyone who collaborated with him on this effort!”

Moreover, the legislation seeks to prevent Division I conferences from diminishing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams a member institution is obligated to support. Schools generating $80 million in athletics revenue will also be barred from cutting roster spots for sports they offered in 2024-2025.

Student-athletes will enjoy a decade-long window following their eligibility to return and complete their degrees, while institutions are required to provide the same grant-in-aid amounts as when the student-athletes were enrolled.

Moreover, the legislation caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%, with overall annual school spending on athletes set at $50 million.

The NCAA proudly promotes the Protect College Sports Act on its official website, asserting it will “level the playing field” nationwide.

The organization emphasizes its commitment to sustainable and fair revenue sharing, protecting women’s and Olympic sports, alongside maintaining reasonable transfer limits.

The Big Ten Conference echoed this sentiment, expressing eagerness for the next steps towards passing the act as approved by the Senate.

However, concerns have been raised regarding the bill’s implications. Reports indicate that it offers the NCAA broad federal antitrust protections, shielding it from lawsuits. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) expressed worries that it would perpetuate exploitation within the system.

“At its core, this bill shields a system of exploitation,” Murphy commented. “It safeguards the billions being earned by coaches and executives while limiting compensation for some of the nation’s top athletes.”

Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) viewed the legislation as catering to the longstanding wealthy interests behind college sports.