Did Trump’s Executive Order on NIL Reshape the Future of College Sports?

In a move that could dramatically shift the landscape of college athletics, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order on July 24, 2025, titled “Save College Sports.” The order seeks to curb the influence of money in college athletics, particularly through the NIL marketplace, by prohibiting third-party pay-for-play payments and reaffirming the amateur status of student-athletes. This executive order comes just months after the House v. NCAA record-breaking settlement was passed, where schools could directly pay their athletes. The action, which aligns with recent NCAA lobbying efforts, also directs multiple federal agencies to coordinate enforcement and protect non-revenue and women’s sports. With college basketball among the most heavily impacted sports, this order could alter how players are recruited, compensated, and perceived in the eyes of the law.

Reining in NIL: What the Executive Order Means

At the heart of the executive order is a ban on “pay-for-play” NIL payments offered by third parties—most often booster collectives—used to entice athletes to commit to certain schools. These deals have become widespread since NIL was legalized, creating bidding wars for top talent and raising concerns about fairness and compliance. Trump’s order allows for legitimate, market-based NIL endorsements but prohibits deals that are based solely on performance or school choice. This aims to return NIL to its intended purpose—commercial opportunities tied to an athlete’s brand rather than recruitment leverage.

Additionally, the order instructs the Secretary of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board to issue guidance clarifying that college athletes are not employees. This comes as a direct response to growing efforts by athletes and labor advocates to unionize and seek employment status, which could lead to salaries, collective bargaining, and other workplace rights. The Trump administration’s move reinforces the traditional notion of student-athletes as amateurs, a stance long held by the NCAA, but increasingly challenged in courts. The executive order also includes protections for non-revenue and women’s sports. Universities with large athletic revenues are required to expand or maintain scholarship opportunities in these areas, an attempt to preserve the broad spectrum of college athletics amidst escalating costs in football and basketball. This component is particularly relevant for athletic departments facing tough budget decisions and rising NIL expenditures.

What It Means for College Basketball

College basketball stands to be one of the sports most affected by this order. Over the past few years, elite recruits have increasingly weighed NIL offers in their decision-making, sometimes bypassing traditional powers for programs with strong booster support. Although heavily recruited by blue-blood schools, players such as Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Ace Bailey didn’t take the normal route; furthermore, all three obtained significant NIL opportunities by committing to non-blue-blood schools. By banning pay-for-play incentives, the order seeks to restore balance and reduce the financial arms race in recruitment. Moreover, reinforcing the amateur status of athletes could discourage moves toward unionization, something that could dramatically alter the structure of college basketball, and by mandating support for non-revenue sports, the order may force basketball programs at major universities to be more mindful of how they allocate resources.

A Pivotal Moment for Reform

Though the executive order does not carry the full weight of federal law, it signals a major shift in national policy on NIL and college sports. It mirrors some elements of the proposed SCORE Act and could spark further legislative debate. For college basketball, the order brings new rules, new risks, and renewed questions about the future of the sport in the NIL era. Whether it restores balance or creates new complications remains to be seen. The NIL world could be completely flipped back to what its original intent was, and create an overall sense of compliance.

Gabriel Friedman

Gabe Friedman is a passionate sports author who is studying Sport Management and Marketing. A college basketball fanatic who also loves to write. Rock Chalk!

Previous
Previous

Jim Schlossnagle Looks to Continue Success in Second Year with Texas Baseball

Next
Next

Red Means Go: How the Giants Are Revamping Their Red Zone Offense