Trump warns Congress college sports could be ‘lost forever’ without reform
Nick Saban announces Trump’s NCAA executive order
Legendary coach Nick Saban is discussing advising President Donald Trump on a new executive order aimed at reining in the NCAA, warning that college athletics will face ‘chaos’ and financial ruin without new regulations on transfers and eligibility.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump is increasing pressure on Congress to overhaul college sports, warning that the system could be “lost forever” as a White House-backed committee makes sweeping changes to rein in athlete salaries, transfers and rising costs.
Proposals include creating a task force to examine consolidated media rights, caps on coach salaries, rewritten eligibility rules and changes to the transfer portal, according to the draft document obtained by Yahoo Sports and reported by . Associated Press.
This push is based on a recent development executive order From Trump, who has described college athletics as an “out-of-control financial arms race” fueled by loosening rules on player compensation, transfers and eligibility, and called for federal action before the system becomes further destabilized.
The White House said the current model is “driving universities into debt,” threatening women’s and Olympic sports, and undermining educational opportunities for student-athletes.
TRUMP SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REGULATE AFFAIRS OF COLLEGE SPORTS
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on May 8, 2026. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
“Given the situation at stake, further delay is not an option,” the order says, citing nearly 500,000 annual educational, athletic and leadership opportunities and nearly $4 billion in scholarships.
Trump also raised alarms about the direction of college sports, saying at a White House roundtable last month that “crazy things are happening” as players stay in school longer and earn more through NIL deals, according to previous reporting from Fox News Digital.
The draft proposal calls for Congress to quickly pass legislation creating a task force with the authority to override individual state laws, a major priority for NCAA and college sports leaders seeking antitrust immunity and national standards.
CHAPTER 1 I PLAYED VOLLEYBALL — CHAOS OUT OF CONTROL. POINTS LAW WILL SAVE SPORTS
South Carolina guard Agot Makeer celebrates cutting down the net after South Carolina defeated TCU in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Justine Willard/AP)
Among the most divisive ideas is the pooling of media rights between conferences; The move is opposed by the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten but is supported by a group led by Texas Tech regent Cody Campbell, who argues it could be worth billions of dollars, according to the AP.
The draft also calls for rules aimed at “salary cap circumvention,” an apparent reference to schools using third-party NIL agreements to get around current limits on direct payments to athletes.
The issue is currently at the center of an arbitration lawsuit filed by Nebraska football players whose NIL agreements were rejected by the College Athletic Commission, which reviews third-party contracts.
NCAA SETTLEMENT CHAOS: NEW LEGAL MOVEMENT COULD TRIGGER MAJOR INCREASE IN ZERO SPEND
President Donald Trump hosts NCAA collegiate national champions at the White House in this April 2026 photo. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump’s executive order also instructs institutions that contract with or make grants to institutions of higher education to evaluate certain violations of college athletics rules, including eligibility limits, transfers, revenue sharing and “improper financial activities.”
The order defines these activities to include fraudulent NIL schemes, use of federal funds for NIL or revenue sharing payments, and interference in contracts between student-athletes and other schools.
The White House also called on college athletics’ governing bodies to clarify rules before Aug. 1, including eligibility limitations, transfer rules, medical care for athletes and protections for women’s and Olympic sports.
DESPITE TRUMP’S SUPPORT, THE NIL REGULATION VOTE IN THE HOUSE WAS CANCELED BECAUSE SOME REPUBLICANS WERE STILL NOT ON THE BOARD.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event for NCAA national champions in the White House State Dining Room in Washington on April 21, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)
According to the AP, Congress has been mulling over legislation for more than a year that would regulate parts of the House agreement that would put revenue sharing in place.
The draft committee document urges lawmakers to take action before Congress goes on its traditional August recess.
The administration has warned that without a national solution, the financial strain from football and basketball could force schools to cut other sports or completely reshape college athletics.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
