Preserving America’s College Sports: A Deep Dive into the “Saving College Sports” Executive Order

Overview & Purpose of the Order

On July 24, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Saving College Sports”, aimed at safeguarding the traditionally educational, non-professional nature of intercollegiate athletics. The order emphasizes the importance of preserving scholarships, expanding participation in women’s and non-revenue programs, and reining in unregulated compensation structures that threaten competitive balance.

It underscores the vital role of college athletics in American life, supporting over 500,000 student-athletes annually with nearly $4 billion in scholarships, and highlights the system’s contribution to Olympic success and leadership pipelines.

Key Provisions of the Executive Order

1. Protecting Women’s & Non-Revenue Sports

Athletic departments with more than $125 million in 2024–25 revenue must expand scholarships and roster spots in non-revenue sports beyond the previous season’s levels. Departments with $50M–$125M revenue must maintain or improve existing support, while those below $50M must avoid disproportionate reductions.

This reflects the administration’s concern that booming compensation in football and men’s basketball has starved other programs of resources.

2. Banning Third-Party “Pay‑for‑Play” Deals

To prevent bidding wars among boosters and protect institutional parity, the order prohibits third-party NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) payments framed as recruitment compensation. Legitimate endorsements at fair market value remain permitted.

3. Clarifying Employment Status of Student-Athletes

The order instructs the Secretary of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to issue guidance or rules clarifying whether college athletes are employees, a pivotal question impacting collective bargaining and labor protections.

4. Legal Protections Against Litigation

The Attorney General and FTC Chair are tasked with creating a plan, within 60 days, to shield collegiate athletic governing bodies and schools from antitrust and other lawsuits that threaten scholarships and institutional stability.

5. Veteran and Olympic Development

The executive branch will consult the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committees to preserve college athletics’ critical role in developing elite American athletes.

Why This Order Matters

• Brings Structure to a Fractured NIL Landscape: Conflicting state NIL laws and unregulated markets have created inequities and instability in college athletics.

• Reaffirms Title IX Implications: By prioritizing non-revenue and women’s sports in scholarship and roster mandates, the order signals administrative attention toward gender equity concerns.

• Aligns with Congressional Reform (SCORE Act): The order complements legislative efforts intended to solidify national standards around NIL, student-athlete status, and NCAA liability protections.

Key Implications for Colleges & Universities

Area	Institutional Impact
Athletics Budgets	Must assess support levels for non-revenue sports based on revenue tiers
NIL Oversight	Reevaluate third-party NIL agreements; ensure endorsement payments are at fair market value
Policy Compliance	Monitor executive branch and agency guidance to ensure consistency with Title IX and antitrust laws
Strategic Planning	Collaborate with athletic department leadership to align compliance, equity goals, and student-athlete welfare

Broader Context: Legal & Political Landscape

• The order arrives alongside a landmark $2.8B Senate-approved settlement that allows direct athlete compensation while capping payouts and reinforcing NIL transparency.

• Congress is also advancing the SCORE Act, which would enshrine similar principles into law, including non-employee status of athletes and antitrust protections for the NCAA.

• Analysts question whether the executive branch has the statutory authority to enforce many provisions—but the order could catalyze legislation or agency rulemaking in the near term.

Final Takeaways

The “Saving College Sports” executive order is a pivotal federal response to an NCAA era fraught with legal uncertainty and competitive imbalance. By placing guardrails on NIL deals, reinforcing Title IX-aligned support for non-revenue sports, and demanding regulatory clarity on athlete status, the federal government signals increased oversight of the college sports landscape. Institutions should monitor forthcoming agency guidance and legislative developments closely, and proactively align policies with equity and compliance priorities.