When Donald Trump teased a major sports announcement in the coming days, many assumed it would be linked to NIL reforms in college sports.
Instead, the big reveal was that Washington, D.C., would host the 2027 NFL Draft at the National Mall. Trump announced at a news conference with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell by his side, smiling while Trump seemingly alluded to debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
That was then, but Trump’s focus remained on college sports. This was expected, mainly after reports emerged that Nick Saban and Tommy Tuberville had encouraged him to consider an executive order to reform NIL payments.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reports that Trump is planning to create a presidential commission on college athletics, which could be the first step in a lengthy effort to tackle the challenges facing the world of college sports.
NEWS: President Donald Trump is making plans to create a Presidential Commission to study college sports, sources tell @YahooSports – a landmark moment in industry history.
The commission is charged with finding solutions to the unregulated landscape.https://t.co/t2ngj8Srlq
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) May 7, 2025
The commission is expected to dive deep into the complexities of college athletics, including issues like the frequent movement of players through the transfer portal, unregulated booster compensation, the debate over whether athletes should be considered employees, the application of Title IX to revenue-sharing models, and even the structure of conference memberships and media rights deals.
Trump may announce the commission’s formation through an executive order, a move reportedly encouraged by Nick Saban.
According to Dellenger, Saban is expected to play a prominent role in the commission. That said, following Trump’s selection of Andrew Giuliani to head up his 2026 World Cup task force, it remains to be seen whether he’ll stick with experienced voices like Saban or opt for partisan political appointees.
