College sports needs Congress to fix NIL, Trump says, while promising executive order - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiugFBVV95cUxOX2lCdkJTTkl3ZDNMRkdwX1NEZFBrT1FPZ3Bpd1E3TkV6NXVLU0p1b0pxTEROSjNsM3haQklGVVFraVkyUnB2dXlfLWlwek5pa09qcWFqM3U2U0RTcGxjaEdubHVDeXRSaHl1ZmNFTjFsVURObzJfVTJ5M3czMFZPQ1NIWTV5SGo1T0x4cDFtcVRxMjljaWpySERtcGREa0Z4WWFNRkExUm9GOTZkZWZ4V1Y4OUQwQWdQLWc?oc=5" target="_blank">College sports needs Congress to fix NIL, Trump says, while promising executive order</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

President Donald Trump warned that the entire U.S. educational system could collapse if urgent reforms aren't made to college sports, particularly around the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payment structure for athletes. He announced plans to issue an executive order to pressure Congress into acting, with many at the event—lawmakers, NCAA officials, and sports leaders—agreeing that increased financial support is necessary to sustain programs. A central focus was the SCORE Act, aiming to provide the NCAA with limited antitrust protections and override state NIL laws.

On March 6, 2026, President Donald Trump held a roundtable discussion focused on the regulation of college sports, particularly criticizing the impact of rising athlete salaries and the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) policies. He claimed that managing college sports issues was even more complex than dealing with the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, despite the recent military strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran. Trump was joined by notable figures such as former football coach Nick Saban, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, and other sports leaders. The group voiced concerns that lucrative payments to athletes were threatening the integrity of college sports and potentially bankrupting smaller programs and institutions.

President Trump predicted the destruction not just of college sports but the entire U.S. collegiate system unless the industry is fixed quickly—something some sports leaders who joined him Friday at a White House summit agreed ... . Trump suggested he would write an 'all-encompassing' executive order within a week in ... , and likeness.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday the soaring cost of college football programs is hurting collegiate sports in general, and vowed to issue a fresh executive order on the topic within a week. Speaking at a White House East Room gathering of lawmakers, college sports commissioners, coaches, and former athletes, Trump said he expects his directive to be challenged in court, and emphasized that Congress should solve the problem with legislation. 'We have to save college sports,' Trump said at the event.

President Donald Trump hosted a college sports roundtable Friday to examine solutions to key challenges, including NCAA authority; name, image and likeness (NIL) issues; collective bargaining; and governance concerns. College players not wanting to go pro because they make more money in college. Trump said there has been an 'inability to set rules,' noting that different states have different NIL laws, prompting another challenge for college sports. 'If Congress doesn't take action fast, it could destroy college sports,' Trump said.

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While Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of the U.S. ... and Paralympic Committee, attended, the guest list underscored where the economic power in college sports resides—football-heavy conferences, television partners and brand-name programs. At issue is not simply NIL—though this marketplace has upended recruiting and compensation—but whether the current model is sustainable. No current athlete attended, according to a guest list released by the White House, nor did any formal representatives of athlete-led NIL collectives. Casey Floyd, co-founder of NOCAP Sports, a sports marketing company that works on NIL matters for athletes, schools and business, called the entire exercise 'political theater.'

After a plea for help from the highest levels of college athletics, President Donald Trump on Friday said he will write an executive order within a week that will 'solve all of the problems' brought forth in an unprecedented meeting at the White House to address the future of college sports. Trump, who was joined in the East Room by about 50 people from varied backgrounds, hosted the first 'Saving College Sports' roundtable with vice chairs Secretary of State Marco Rubio, New York Yankees president Randy Levine and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.