WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump convened a “Saving College Sports” roundtable at the White House on Friday, bringing together coaches, former athletes, and policymakers to discuss what he has called a rapidly deteriorating landscape in college athletics.
He said federal legislation must allow college athletic programs to set “common sense” rules without “endless litigation,” as well as establish a fair Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) standard that eliminates the patchwork of conflicting state laws.
“We’re gathered today to discuss an important threat to the integrity and culture of college sports — the inability to set rules on eligibility, transfers, Name, Image, and Likeness — and much more than that,” Trump said to kick off the discussion, noting that the issue is not limited to college sports alone, but colleges as a whole.
“This has grown into a major challenge,” he later added. “If Congress does not take action fast, it could destroy college sports, and destroy the colleges that play these sports.”
Trump and several roundtable participants argued that the current approach to NIL, which allows college athletes to profit from endorsement deals and sponsorships, has created a fragmented system that favors wealthy programs and fuels bidding wars for top recruits.
The president said the lack of national standards has eroded competitive balance and left smaller schools at a disadvantage.
New York Yankees President Randy Levine, who attended the event, said he’s heard complaints for years about the current system.
“This thing is failing and it’s failing bad,” Levine said, adding that while no athletes were at the roundtable, they will be involved moving forward.
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“This group, as we move on, you can be assured will be talking to the student athletes and all of their representatives to make sure their voices are clearly heard,” Levine said. “Time is of the essence.”