President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. college system could go out of business if college sports are not reformed quickly. Speaking at a White House summit Friday, he predicted that industry changes, including increased payments to athletes, could lead to a lawsuit that might overturn recent reforms.
Trump indicated he plans to issue an executive order within a week aimed at prompting Congress to act. He said the order could trigger legal challenges over the NCAA’s move to allow athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, a system that has left many schools struggling financially.
During the meeting in the East Room, which included lawmakers, conference commissioners, NCAA President Charlie Baker, and U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland but no student-athletes, Trump expressed concern about the future of college sports. He called the previous era of minimal athlete compensation “great” and blamed a court settlement for disrupting the system.
Participants agreed the rising costs associated with NIL payments threaten the industry. Many supported the SCORE Act, a bill that would give the NCAA limited antitrust exemptions and preempt state NIL laws. House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested the bill might now have enough support to pass, despite past struggles in Congress.
Following the summit, Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., announced plans to introduce a bill allowing conferences to pool media rights, a practice banned since 1961. Texas Tech Regent Cody Campbell, also at the meeting, expressed interest in helping draft Trump’s executive order, citing potential revenue increases of up to $6 billion from pooled TV rights.
However, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and others emphasized that the focus should be on structural reforms and establishing national standards rather than solely on revenue. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, warned that delays could result in the loss of scholarships and programs in many states.
Trump also criticized U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken for approving the settlement that led to the current NIL system, calling her a “radical left judge.” He expressed surprise that the Supreme Court’s 2021 decision in NCAA v. Alston, which upheld the legality of athlete compensation, had not been challenged.
The president highlighted concerns about Olympic and women’s sports, which rely heavily on revenue from college football and basketball. Sarah Hirshland of the U.S. Olympic Committee warned that unsustainable financial pressures threaten to cut Olympic and women’s sports programs, emphasizing the need to address these issues to preserve athletic opportunities across the board.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
