President Donald Trump is considering signing an executive order to address payments to college athletes, a move that comes after a conversation with former Alabama football coach Nick Saban earlier this week.
The potential order would add oversight to the name, image and likeness (NIL) industry, which has grown rapidly in college athletics without much regulation. However, it’s unclear how the order would specifically address NIL.
Saban expressed concerns about the current state of college sports, citing athletes’ limited personal development due to unregulated opportunities for making money from their NIL. He also called for rules that create competitive balance.
Trump’s potential entry into this area comes as lawyers for the plaintiffs in a proposed settlement of three athlete-compensation antitrust cases try to revise one aspect. The proposed settlement would pay $2.8 billion in damages to athletes over 10 years, and Division I schools could start paying athletes directly for use of their NIL.
The NCAA has continued to lobby Congress for legislation that would enshrine athletes’ NIL rights in federal law and preempt state laws. Trump instructed White House aides to study what an order would look like, sparking debate among lawmakers and lawyers. Sen. Richard Blumenthal expressed skepticism about the President’s power to make such changes, while one of the lead lawyers argued that Trump should support the free market and athletes’ ability to negotiate their own deals.
The issue highlights the ongoing debate over college sports reform, with some arguing for greater regulation and others pushing for a more hands-off approach.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2025/05/02/trump-executive-order-payments-college-athletes-nick-saban/83421017007