President Donald Trump issued an executive order intended to prohibit third-party, pay-for-play payments to college athletes on Thursday.
The order had been rumored for months around collegiate circles and was officially signed on Thursday. Trump's order, heralded by the White House as an attempt to "save college sports," also intends to protect student-athletes and collegiate athletic scholarships and opportunities, including in Olympic and non-revenue programs.
As noted, the order states it "prohibits third-party, pay-for-play payments to collegiate athletes," though it does not mention how it defines a third-party deal, how the order would be enforced or what potential penalties would be for schools that violate the rule. The order directs the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission to provide some antitrust protection to the new College Sports Commission formed by the House settlement and to collegiate leaders to "protect student athletes' rights."
Heres the full text of the signed presidential executive order, which is very similar to the draft obtained and written about last week by @YahooSports
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 24, 2025
Story from earlier this- https://t.co/ReObnsbVMB pic.twitter.com/zSuakbT80V
The timing of the order coincides with the bipartisan, all-encompassing college sports bill called the SCORE Act, which currently sits in committee before an attempt to move it through the House. NCAA President Charlie Baker and the Autonomy Five conferences both put out statements responding to Trump's order, which reading between the lines, essentially thanked Trump for his interest in the sport but urged the need for congressional legislation.
NCAA statement: pic.twitter.com/mvjUO7ARqc
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 24, 2025
Statement from the Autonomy 5 conferences on President Trump's executive order. pic.twitter.com/vnYcrARUgL
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) July 24, 2025
One item of note pertaining to the Buckeyes: Schools with athletic department budgets exceeding $125 million per year (Ohio State's operating expenses were $292.3 million for the 2024 fiscal year) are required to provide more non-revenue scholarships this school year than they did a season ago and "should provide the maximum number of roster spots permitted under the applicable collegiate rules," per the order. OSU has already complied with that section of the order.
