Collegiate sports’ historic overhaul hit another peak when the President of the United States issued a sweeping 10-page executive order intended to bring order and stability.
The executive order, first reported by Yahoo Sports, includes several directives for federal agencies to support and for NCAA leadership to implement by Aug. 1. Many of those are expected to be challenged in court as they would invalidate some state laws that conflict, including statutes governing NIL dealings.
Sports attorney Darren Heitner pointed out the order does not create rules or grant the NCAA antitrust exemption so much as direct the NCAA and federal agencies to do certain things.
“I expect the NCAA to attempt to adopt rules consistent with the executive order’s directives, and that challenges will be brought to the courts,” Heitner said on the X social media platform. “Congress will hold more hearings on college sports … the courts will strike down any new policies that violate antitrust law.”
The White House acknowledged the legal challenges ahead, but also, the importance of overcoming them.
“The rules governing pay-for-play, eligibility and other aspects of college athletics have been substantially loosened through a number of judicial rulings …. The chaotic state of affairs has undermined competition, reduced opportunities for student athletes, and jeopardized support for …. Women’s and Olympic sports.”
Further, Trump’s executive order states that current NCAA eligibility, transfer and NIL rules have resulted in “an out-of-control arms race in (football and basketball).”
“College sports cannot function without clarity, agreed-upon rules concerning pay-for-play and player eligibility that can’t be endlessly challenged in court, as is the case now,” a White House statement said.
“The resulting chaos is creating financial pressures that threaten to drain resources from all sports except football and basketball, and from many universities altogether.”
The executive order comes on the heels of President Donald Trump hosting a roundtable with sports leaders at the White House on March 6.
NCAA president Charlie Baker was among those in attendance, along with UGA president Jere Morehead, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, former Alabama coach Nick Saban and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, among others.
Here are 4 key things to know about the executive order:
1. Eligibility rules
Trump wants a five-year eligibility period for athletes with limited exceptions for military and missionary service, encouraging age-based limits.
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has been a vocal advocate for players to have five years of eligibility within a five-year window.
“I support the five-year plan, (and) I think it cleans it up for a lot of people,” Smart said on an SEC coaches teleconference last September, noting how redshirt rules make remaining eligibility cloudy.
The executive order also states that “professional athletes cannot return to college athletics.”
2. NIL rules modification
The order aims to prohibit federal funds from being used in NIL revenue-sharing deals, while also prohibiting collectives that help facilitate third-party NIL deals that many claim amount to “pay for play.”
Former Georgia Tech basketball coach Josh Pastner, who’s now leading the UNLV program, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive interview last week that dealings are “not NIL anymore — it’s a pay-to-play deal, it’s where we’re at in the college landscape.”
The order also aims to clean up inconsistencies in sports agent dealings, directing the NCAA to create a national registry for player agents.
3. Transfer rules
The NCAA cabinet recently passed emergency legislation from the football oversight committee (which includes Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks) that would deal harsh consequences to coaches and programs that sign or add transfers before they have entered the portal.
Trump’s order aims for rules that allow one transfer in a five-year period with immediate eligibility, with an additional transfer available once the athlete earns a four-year degree.
The NCAA has allowed for unlimited annual transfers since 2024.
4. Mandatory funding requirements for women and Olympic Sports
The executive order directs the NCAA to implement revenue-sharing that “preserves or expands scholarships” in women’s and Olympic sports.
Brooks told the AJC that, with roster restrictions in place, UGA would add more than 100 scholarships throughout all of its programs, ensuring full scholarships for both men’s and women’s athletics.
“Opportunities are there for all 21 (sports), and it could be smaller amounts,” Brooks said at the SEC spring meetings last May in Miramar Beach, Florida.
“But we’ve really focused on being broad-based and having opportunities.”
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey weighed in on Trump’s executive order, issuing a supportive statement on Friday.
“The establishment and enforcement of consistent national standards for college athletics remains a top priority, and President Trump’s Executive Order provides important clarity to help ensure all programs operate under comparable policies,” Sankey said.
“We are grateful for the President’s leadership and the continued, bipartisan engagement of members of the House and Senate on these key issues.“
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