Trump Administration Moves To Tame Volatile Landscape of College Athletics

The new presidential commission is expected to address NIL and transfer turmoil.

AP/Mike Stewart
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban is expected to be part of Trump's sports commission. AP/Mike Stewart

President Trump is once again stepping into the sports arena — not with his golf clubs, but with the weight of the White House. In an effort to bring some stability to the unruly world of college athletics, the Trump administration is reportedly planning to create a presidential commission to solve the industry’s problems.

According to Yahoo Sports, the Trump administration has briefed several college sports leaders about its plans to create a commission. The goal is to bring clarity, structure, and potential legislative regulation to the multibillion-dollar industry that many believe is teetering on the edge of chaos.

Among the issues plaguing the industry are the frequency of player movement through the transfer portal; runaway name, image, and likeness payments; the debate over college athlete employment; the application of Title IX; and revenue-sharing payments.

The news drew mixed reactions on social media. “@DarellMVP2437″ on X hailed: “College athletics is finally getting some structure.”

John Giovanni @AtlastShrugged suggested, “The last thing we want is Congress getting involved. CFP should take control!”

And @CheeseDaddy62 offered, “This will be disastrous for college sports.”

Mr. Trump indicated he was willing to act after more than 100 leaders in college sports lobbied Capitol Hill last month. At the top of their agenda is antitrust protection, which must be in place to strengthen any new regulations.

The Yahoo report indicated that a former Alabama head football coach, Nick Saban, would be part of the commission. Mr. Trump reportedly spoke about the possibility of forming a commission when he met with Mr. Saban when the president was in Tuscaloosa last week to give a graduation address at the University of Alabama.

It’s unclear what power the commission will have beyond making recommendations on issues that have been topics of discussion for several years. Unprecedented conference realignment, soaring NIL payouts to top student-athletes, and the transfer portal have added the urgency of bringing some sort of stability back to college sports.

It’s the latest sports-related issue the president has addressed since returning to the White House. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order banning transgender individuals from competing in women’s sports. The president also brokered a meeting at the White House between members of the PGA Tour and rival LIV Golf to seek a resolution in their conflict.

The president also established a Federal Task Force to Ensure Security for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics to be held in the United States.

Mr. Trump hasn’t been shy about appointing commissions. He named the Commission on Religious Liberty earlier this week. Individuals appointed included a Catholic cardinal (Timothy Cardinal Dolan), an Orthodox babbi (Rabbi Meir Soloveichik), Pastor Franklin Graham, and Dr. Phil McGraw. Texas’s lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, and Dr. Ben Carson will lead the commission.

The formation of a college sports commission likely undercuts several months of negotiations on legislation among U.S. Senators Cruz, Moran, Booker, Coons, and Blumenthal.

It’s uncertain when the commission will be announced.


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