Saving College Sports

This Executive Order aims to stabilize and preserve college athletics in the United States by protecting non-revenue and women’s sports, prohibiting third-party pay-for-play arrangements, and clarifying the legal status of student-athletes. It directs federal agencies to use regulatory, funding, enforcement, and litigation tools to ensure fair treatment of athletes and preserve the educational and developmental benefits of collegiate sports. The order also calls for safeguards to ensure the continued contribution of college sports to the development of Olympic athletes.

• Department of Education
• Department of Justice (DOJ) / Attorney General
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Department of Labor
• National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
• White House Office of Public Liaison

Within 30 days; 60 days.

Within 30 days: Secretary of Education, in consultation with DOJ, HHS, and FTC, must develop a plan to implement policies protecting non-revenue sports and prohibiting pay-for-play payments. Immediately and ongoing: College athletic departments with revenue over $125 million must increase non-revenue sport scholarships and roster spots for the 2025–2026 season and beyond. Immediately and ongoing: College athletic departments with revenue over $50 million must maintain non-revenue sport scholarships and roster spots for the 2025–2026 season and beyond. Immediately and ongoing: College athletic departments with $50 million or less in revenue or no revenue sports must not disproportionately reduce non-revenue sport opportunities. Immediately and ongoing: Any revenue-sharing plans must preserve or expand scholarships in non-revenue and women’s sports. Immediately and ongoing: Universities must prohibit third-party pay-for-play arrangements, except fair-market NIL endorsements. Immediately and ongoing: Secretary of Labor and NLRB must take steps to clarify the legal status of student-athletes to protect their educational opportunities. Within 60 days: Attorney General and FTC Chairman must review and, if necessary, revise litigation positions and policies to preserve scholarships and protect against unreasonable legal challenges. Within 60 days: Attorney General and FTC Chairman must develop a forward-looking plan for legal and regulatory protection of college athletics. Ongoing: Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison must consult with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to protect the collegiate-to-Olympic athlete pipeline.

No known legal challenges.