Trump Administration Proposes Task Force on College Sports Rules

The Trump administration has proposed that Congress create a task force with an antitrust exemption to develop uniform national standards for college athletics, including rules on media rights, coaching salaries, athlete eligibility, transfers and name, image and likeness compensation.

A draft document outlining the proposal was obtained by Yahoo Sports and reported by The Associated Press. The proposal calls for lawmakers to act before Congress departs for its traditional August recess.

The push follows an executive order signed by President Trump directing federal agencies that contract with or provide grants to higher education institutions to evaluate potential violations of college athletics rules. Those include breaches of eligibility limits, transfer regulations, revenue sharing and improper financial activities such as fraudulent name, image and likeness schemes.

The order also addresses use of federal funds for name, image and likeness or revenue-sharing payments, as well as interference with contracts between student-athletes and other schools.

According to the White House, the existing college athletics model provides roughly 500,000 annual educational, athletic and leadership opportunities and nearly $4 billion in scholarships each year. The executive order described college athletics as destabilized by loosened rules on player compensation, transfers and eligibility.

It urged federal action regarding impacts on universities, women’s sports, Olympic sports and educational opportunities for student-athletes. The White House stated that further delay is unacceptable.

The executive order builds on Trump’s statements last month at a White House roundtable. Trump said “crazy things are happening” as players remain in school longer and earn more through name, image and likeness deals. The administration has urged college athletics governing bodies to clarify rules before Aug.