Trump’s executive takes the goal of college sports: NPR

Washington – President Trump took the goal of college sports with a New executive On Thursday, which seeks to enable federal agencies, including the US Department of Education, which spends funds for public universities, occurred to help implement new provisions on sports scholarships and “payment for play” licenses for athletes.

This directs the largest sports departments in the country to maintain certain numbers of scholarships for women’s and Olympic sport. It seeks to curb the name of the name, image and profitable similarity – Known as nothing – Which has greatly transformed the athlete compensation in recent years.

“The future of university sport is subject to an unprecedented threat.” “There is an urgent need for a national solution to prevent this position from the deterioration of reform and the protection of unproductive sports, including many women’s sports, which includes the backbone of athletics between colleges, and pushing American superiority in the Olympic Games and other international competitions, and stimulates hundreds of thousands of sports students for American success fuel in myriad.”

whether The provisions of the matter Legal experts told NPR. However, it represents the president’s increasing interest in mathematical issues, especially university athletics.

“This may not be a binding legal framework – but it is absolutely an indication: that the federal government and the presidential policy are now increasingly ready to interfere in the future of university sport,” said Noah Henderson, Professor of Sports Administration at Liola University.

Trump’s order comes a month after approval House settlementA collective legal agreement opened the door to the departments of the first section in a college to pay the players directly, which increases the long -term NCAA traditions.

This settlement, which allows schools to compensate for athletes with a maximum of $ 20.5 million, has raised concerns about the future of inconsistent sports, including most women’s and Olympic sports, as schools have turned resources to compensate for athletes in order to maintain competition in sport born in football and basketball.

“The handrails are absent to stop madness and ensure a reasonable and balanced use of resources through collective sports programs that maintain their educational and development benefits, many college sports will soon stop existence.”

Among the “handrails” that it seeks to impose is the requirements provided by university athletic departments the highest academic opportunities in uncomfortable sport than they were in the academic year 2024-2025.

This ruling applies to about 30 of the largest sports departments in the country, According to data from 2024.

In a hint on how its provisions are applied, the matter directs the Ministry of Education – the Trump administration in Dismantling process – To use the exchange of federal funds and enforce the ninth address and the laws of trade between the states to influence schools. Most of the country’s largest sports departments belong to public universities, such as Ohio State University and Texas University.

“These are” very extreme measures. ” “Is this just a threat or something that will actually lead to something? Will the executive branch themselves already in these situations to impose this? What will the unintended consequences be if they are followed?” He added.

The payment deals against the rights of players are also a target for the Trump administration order. NCAA allowed such deals since the Supreme Court’s decision for 2021, which came to control the financial scene of the first class category.

Athletes, especially football and basketball players, earn thousands or even millions of dollars annually in NIL deals, and some are linked to a marketing campaign, but others are actually compensating for play.

Trump says that NIL deals that are paid for play are “inappropriate and should not be allowed by universities”, specifically, with deals that bear the “fair market value” to support the brand or any other legal purpose.

Sports officials at the college pressed Washington for years to help curb the litigation wave that has reshaped university sport on compensation and private issues.

The executive matter is in line with the many priorities that NCAA mentioned in recent years, the governing body of university athletics, whose policies have long eroded over eligibility and compensation over the past decade due to litigation.

“The association is able to focus the Trump administration on the changing opportunities of life provided by the Faculty of Sports for millions of young people, and we are looking to work with athlete students, a two -party alliance in the Congress and the Trump administration to enhance university sport for years to come,” Charlie Baker, NCAA president, said in a statement.

He added that NCAA has long pressed federal legislation to help protect it from litigation and will continue to do so.

But Trump’s signature on Thursday can Be a danger to “Deepening party divisions in college sports instead of creating the necessary consensus for long-term reform.”

The five “Energy Conferences” in the sport of the college rushed to praise the executive. In a joint statement from Southeast Conferences, Atlantic Coast, Big Tin, Big 12 and PAC-12 conferences, they said: “We hope that Congress will send federal legislation to President Trump’s office as soon as possible.”

It also directs many federal agencies to go into the battle. The National Council for Labor Relations is required to issue rules and directives “with regard to clarifying the case of collective athletes” to ensure that they are not considered law employees for the purposes of the labor law. Officials in the Ministry of Justice and the Federal Trade Committee are directed to prepare to participate in future litigation on college sports.