In a recent LawFlash, a team of Morgan Lewis lawyers discussed President Donald Trump’s July 24, 2025 executive order titled Saving College Sports. This order, which follows recent significant changes to compensation rules and limitations in the collegiate sports landscape, introduces certain guardrails intended to maintain competition and parity within intercollegiate athletics.
The order directs universities to safeguard athletic opportunities beyond revenue-generating sports, ensuring roster spots and scholarships for women’s and non-revenue generating programs. It also places restrictions on “pay-for-play” arrangements, requiring that any athlete compensation be tied to legitimate name, image, and likeness activity. Federal agencies, including the US Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Labor, are tasked with clarifying the legal landscape and defending against antitrust challenges, while also reviewing whether college athletes should be classified as employees.
The executive order follows a string of significant developments in college sports. For example, earlier this year, the House v. NCAA settlement authorized billions of dollars in back pay and revenue-sharing arrangements for student-athletes. At the same time, Congress is considering the proposed Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act (SCORE Act), which aims to codify certain aspects of the settlement, preempt conflicting state name, image, and likeness (NIL) laws, and limit the employment classification of athletes.
While President Trump’s executive order stops short of addressing Title IX, its focus on protecting women’s and non-revenue sports signals that gender equity will remain central in the evolving college athletics model.
Together with our colleagues on the labor and employment team, Tech & Sourcing @ Morgan Lewis will continue to monitor any additional guidance regarding compliance with the executive order, the order’s potential impact on collegiate sports, and any new contract negotiation trends that arise in response to the executive order or proposed SCORE Act.
For more details, read the LawFlash >>