A new order linked to Donald Trump has sparked strong reactions across U.S. college sports, with major conferences including the Big Ten Conference, Southeastern Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference pushing back against the proposed changes.
The move has sparked nationwide debate, with supporters calling it necessary reform while critics warn it could mark a major shift in how college sports are governed.
The move is expected to impact how college athletics are governed, raising concerns among universities and athletic bodies about federal involvement in sports regulations.
Officials warn that the proposal could significantly alter the structure of college sports programs and funding models across the country.
The proposal has sparked a nationwide debate, drawing reactions from both political leaders and the college sports community.
The announcement quickly drew attention nationwide, triggering debate across both political and sports communities.
The proposal includes measures to limit athlete transfers, introduce a five-year eligibility window, and regulate NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) payments to align with fair market value, potentially impacting how programs operate across the country.
Commissioners from the Huge Ten, SEC, ACC and Huge 12 all launched statements on social media Friday night unanimously thanking Trump for his govt motion.
Trump’s EO directs federal companies to probably prohibit funding for colleges violating new, tighter guidelines on participant transfers (restricted to at least one) and eligibility (most 5 years), whereas curbing pay-for-play booster collectives and defending girls’s and Olympic sports activities funding.
The conferences struck a constant tone of appreciation for federal involvement, coupled with a renewed name for Congress to ascertain nationwide requirements governing faculty athletics, notably with respect to athlete compensation, employment standing and title, picture and likeness (NIL) guidelines.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE POLITICS COVERAGE ON FOXTONNEWS.COM
Huge 10 Commissioner Tony Petitti wrote, “The Huge Ten Convention wish to thank President Trump for his management and persevering with efforts to guard faculty athletics and joins him in urging Congress to rapidly move laws addressing the crucial points undermining its long-term stability.
“In line with President Trump’s govt order, the bipartisan SCORE Act thoughtfully addresses title, picture, and likeness for student-athletes, defending tutorial and athletic alternatives supplied via girls’s and Olympic sports activities applications, and expands sources to help student-athletes on and off the sector.
“We’ll proceed to work with a broad coalition of faculty sports activities stakeholders and members of Congress to enact this laws.”
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey wrote, “The institution and enforcement of constant nationwide requirements for school athletics stays a high precedence, and President Trump’s govt order supplies necessary readability to assist guarantee all applications function underneath comparable insurance policies.
President Donald Trump’s FCC is in search of public feedback on the continuing shift of dwell sports activities from broadcast channels to streaming companies. (Getty Photographs)
“We’re grateful for the President’s management and the continued, bipartisan engagement of members of the Home and Senate on these key points.
“We help Home of Representatives approval of the SCORE Act and significant Senate consideration of comparable laws to protect tutorial alternative for student-athletes and the long-term future of faculty sports activities.”
Huge 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark wrote, “Federal motion is important to guard the way forward for faculty athletics, and on behalf of the Huge 12, we recognize President Trump’s dedication to advancing an answer. To construct on this momentum and supply long-term readability and stability, Congress should now act.
“The bipartisan SCORE Act presents a complete framework for most of the points going through our business, and I look ahead to proceed working with President Trump and Congress to enact significant reforms.”
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips wrote, “We deeply thank President Trump and his administration’s ongoing dedication to defending faculty athletics by issuing at this time’s govt order. Following the White Home’s faculty sports activities roundtable, there continues to be important momentum to protect the athletic and tutorial alternatives for the subsequent era of student-athletes, and we recognize the efforts.
“We stay optimistic that the SCORE Act, which would offer stability to varsity sports activities, will move the Home of Representatives within the close to future.”
The manager order “directs Federal companies to bolster the effectiveness of key faculty sports activities guidelines on transferring, eligibility, and pay-for-play by evaluating whether or not violations of such guidelines render a college unfit for Federal grants and contracts.”
It additionally says {that a} “five-year participation window” will probably be enforced, together with “structured switch guidelines” and a “banning (of) improper monetary preparations together with pay-for-play agreements facilitated by collectives and comparable entities.”
Trump’s govt order comes roughly a month after he hosted a roundtable addressing a number of hot-button points with notable sports activities figures and officers.
The SCORE Act was on the forefront of the roundtable. It was scheduled to be voted on in December, however the vote was canceled shortly earlier than it was to happen.
The White Home endorsed the act, however three Republicans — Byron Donalds of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Chip Roy of Texas — voted with Democrats to not deliver the act to the ground. Democrats have largely opposed the invoice, urging members of the Home to vote towards it.
The act would give the NCAA a restricted antitrust exemption in hopes of defending the NCAA from potential lawsuits over eligibility guidelines and would prohibit athletes from turning into workers of their colleges. It prohibits colleges from utilizing scholar charges to fund NIL funds.
The president’s order from July prohibits athletes from receiving pay-to-play funds from third-party sources. Nevertheless, the order didn’t impose any restrictions on NIL funds to varsity athletes by third-party sources. It additionally calls for that colleges account for preserving sources for the non-revenue sports activities.
CLICK HERE TO READ LATEST NEWS ON FOXTONNEWS
President Donald Trump indicators an govt order in the course of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy presentation with the Navy Midshipmen soccer crew within the East Room of the White Home in Washington, D.C., March 20, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
A month earlier than Trump’s order, a decide authorised a settlement between the NCAA, its strongest conferences and attorneys representing all Division I athletes. The deal means the NCAA can pay near $2.8 billion in again damages over the subsequent 10 years to varsity athletes who competed from 2016 to 2025. The settlement additionally permits faculty applications to pay athletes instantly.
