WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump addressed sports industry leaders on Friday, declaring that escalating expenses related to college football player compensation are damaging university athletic programs across the nation and require congressional intervention. The president also indicated he may issue an executive order addressing the situation.
During the White House East Room event, Trump explained that name, image and likeness compensation agreements for football players have created financial strain for universities, with some institutions being forced to eliminate other athletic programs like fencing.
“We have to save college sports,” Trump stated to the assembled sports leaders.
The landscape changed dramatically following a 2021 Supreme Court decision that permitted college athletes to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness rights, overturning a previous NCAA prohibition that had been in place until five years prior.
Trump emphasized that congressional legislation is necessary to reform how NIL agreements are utilized.
“The amount of money being spent and lost by otherwise very successful schools is astounding,” he remarked.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking at the same gathering, confirmed that lawmakers are developing legislation to tackle the issue and expressed confidence in bipartisan backing.
“We want to accomplish the necessary ends, and we think we’re very close,” Johnson stated.
Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban advocated for implementing an effective revenue-sharing framework and finding solutions for football players who remain eligible to compete for six or seven years, reaching their mid-twenties while still in college athletics.
