Shutterstock

Donald Trump is jumping into the college sports NIL debate with both feet, planning to sign an executive order that would create nationwide standards for how athletes can profit from their name, image, and likeness. The move caught many college sports insiders off guard — even those who’ve been talking with Trump about these very issues.

Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell, who’s been having regular conversations with Trump this summer about stabilizing college athletics, admitted to USA Today he “hadn’t heard anything” about the executive order specifically. But he wasn’t totally surprised by Trump’s decision to take action.

This push comes while members of Congress are working on their own solution. The SCORE Act (Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements) was recently introduced in the House, aiming to create federal standards that would replace the current messy patchwork of state laws governing player compensation.

Trump’s administration had previously considered creating a college sports commission, but they’ve put those plans on hold for now.

The timing is interesting.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, who recently met with Trump at his Bedminster golf club alongside Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua, shared his thoughts on the situation during an ESPN interview this week.

“It’s not a secret, I had a chance to visit with the President,” Sankey told ESPN Wednesday. “We met and played golf at Bedminster, and his interest is real. My takeaway: he wants to be supportive of college athletics, make sure that it’s sustainable, the Olympic program and the Olympic development.”

Sankey added that Trump seemed particularly concerned about women’s athletics and establishing “real boundaries” for NIL. Despite their conversations, Sankey admitted he didn’t have “inside reports” about what prompted Trump’s sudden executive order announcement.

The commissioner emphasized that congressional action remains “a real priority” for college sports leaders, noting he’d spoken with lawmakers just yesterday about the House bill that recently cleared a subcommittee.

This isn’t the first time college football figures have gotten involved in the political process. Earlier this year, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer testified before a House subcommittee on these very issues. Former Alabama coaching legend Nick Saban has also repeatedly called for regulatory changes to the current NIL system.

With both Congress and now the executive branch looking to tackle NIL rules, college sports could be heading for its biggest regulatory shakeup in decades.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are part of the new generation of women’s basketball stars who have been able to profit off their name in college and build brands that have helped them excel off the court in the WNBA.

All three players had national star power before stepping foot in the pros. Clark and Reese have made the All-Star Game in each of their first two seasons and are two of the most popular players in the league.

Bueckers was voted a starter in her first All-Star Game this weekend.

The next group up in college that is led by Hannah Hidalgo, Flau’jae Johnson, Olivia Miles and JuJu Watkins has already benefitted from the name, likeness and image. According to On3, Johnson’s NIL valuation is $1.5 million.

“NIL, man, it is beautiful,” Johnson said. “This year in March Madness, I had about five commercials running and you know it was so cool watching the game, then seeing myself come on. It’s just a great opportunity.”

Johnson is a guard at LSU, one of the top schools for NIL in a variety of sports from football to women’s gymnastics to women’s basketball. Johnson, who also has a music career, has gained from the exposure the school has given her, doing national media campaigns with Experian and Powerade.

Hildago, who will be entering her junior year at Notre Dame, is happy that players can finally profit off their own images as opposed to the school getting it all.

“It’s a blessing. Schools for decades have been able to make money off of college players’ names. So for now, for student athletes to be able to make money off of how they carry themselves, you know, we’re a brand ourselves,” she said. “I’m a brand myself and so be able to make money off of my name is honestly truly a blessing and just taking advantage of it is the biggest thing.”

Johnson, Hidalgo and Miles, who helped the U.S. qualify for the World Cup next year by winning gold at the AmeriCup earlier this month, all said that they don’t let the NIL deals they have get in the way of their sport. They credit having a strong support system around them as well as people who handle the deals for them.

“I really dedicate one or two times a week to kind of get all my stuff done,” Miles said. “My agent is very good at scheduling that, but most of my money comes from the collective deal, so for that I really don’t have to do much, which is nice. But any other of the other side deals, my agent will send a videographer out to help me or have her edit stuff or whatever it may be.”

Getting deals and earning money hasn’t just helped the players financially. Some have given back to their communities, including Johnson.

“I just want to be one of those people that uses NIL the right way,” she said. “This year I did a campaign with Experian and we relieved $5 million in debt right for families in Louisiana and then every game we won we added $100,000 to the pot.”

Johnson said it was really touching and emotional when she would receive videos on Instagram from people she helped.

“I’m really using my platform for impact for real. So I think that’s the best part of NIL and just making it better for the young girls that’s coming behind us,” she said.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are part of the new generation of women’s basketball stars who have been able to profit off their name in college and build brands that have helped them excel off the court in the WNBA.

All three players had national star power before stepping foot in the pros. Clark and Reese have made the All-Star Game in each of their first two seasons and are two of the most popular players in the league.

Bueckers was voted a starter in her first All-Star Game this weekend.

The next group up in college that is led by Hannah Hidalgo, Flau’jae Johnson, Olivia Miles and JuJu Watkins has already benefited from the name, likeness and image. According to On3, Johnson’s NIL valuation is $1.5 million.

“NIL, man, it is beautiful,” Johnson said. “This year in March Madness, I had about five commercials running and you know it was so cool watching the game, then seeing myself come on. It’s just a great opportunity.”

Johnson is a guard at LSU, one of the top schools for NIL in a variety of sports from football to women’s gymnastics to women’s basketball. Johnson, who also has a music career, has gained from the exposure the school has given her, doing national media campaigns with Experian and Powerade.

Hildago, who will be entering her junior year at Notre Dame, is happy that players can finally profit off their own images as opposed to the school getting it all.

“It’s a blessing. Schools for decades have been able to make money off of college players’ names. So for now, for student athletes to be able to make money off of how they carry themselves, you know, we’re a brand ourselves,” she said. “I’m a brand myself and so be able to make money off of my name is honestly truly a blessing and just taking advantage of it is the biggest thing.”

Johnson, Hidalgo and Miles, who helped the U.S. qualify for the World Cup next year by winning gold at the AmeriCup earlier this month, all said that they don’t let the NIL deals they have get in the way of their sport. They credit having a strong support system around them as well as people who handle the deals for them.

“I really dedicate one or two times a week to kind of get all my stuff done,” Miles said. “My agent is very good at scheduling that, but most of my money comes from the collective deal, so for that I really don’t have to do much, which is nice. But any other of the other side deals, my agent will send a videographer out to help me or have her edit stuff or whatever it may be.”

Getting deals and earning money hasn’t just helped the players financially. Some have given back to their communities, including Johnson.

“I just want to be one of those people that uses NIL the right way,” she said. “This year I did a campaign with Experian and we relieved $5 million in debt right for families in Louisiana and then every game we won we added $100,000 to the pot.”

Johnson said it was really touching and emotional when she would receive videos on Instagram from people she helped.

“I’m really using my platform for impact for real. So I think that’s the best part of NIL and just making it better for the young girls that’s coming behind us,” she said.

On3 released a survey by writer Pete Nakos listing the top 10 biggest spenders in college football this season, which takes a look at the combined amount of money spent on incoming recruits and transfers. Surprisingly, Georgia was not on the list.

Louisville basketball’s non-conference schedule is expected to be one of the most thrilling schedules in all of college basketball. Kelsey’s statement schedule is proving to the selection committee that Louisville is not “ducking the smoke” and is playing the best of the best, including their in-state rivals, the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Cardinals and Wildcats’ blockbuster showdown caused mayhem for the fans of both programs, as well as for college basketball fans in general. The rivalry matchup is expected to be one of the best games next season, as both programs have National Title dreams and aspirations.

However, the game is one of the first on the schedule, as it will take place on Nov. 11 at KFC Yum! Center. The fans were outraged when the date was initially announced, and Kelsey has just revealed the painful reality behind Louisville and Kentucky scheduling the rivalry game on the worst date imaginable.

Related: Louisville basketball schedules Kentucky rivalry game on worst date imaginable

Pat Kelsey reveals the painful reality behind Louisville and Kentucky’s rivalry game date

The Cardinals and Wildcats are set to play at KFC Yum! Center on a Tuesday night in early November. College basketball fans were dreaming of this game later in the week in mid-December, with a lot more on the line and the teams gelling together.

However, fans got the game on Nov. 11, making it the earliest this game has ever been played, and in fact, the basketball game will take place before the Governor’s Cup is played on the football field. The basketball game will tip off 18 days before the football game at L&N Stadium, which suggests that this date is the absolute worst possible choice.

This rivalry showdown has been played 57 times, and this year’s date doesn’t mark the earliest the rivalry showdown has taken place, shattering the previous record by 15 days. Before the Nov. 11 date, the earliest these two teams played was on Nov. 26 back in 1983.

Kelsey was asked about the rivalry game date, and he just revealed the painful truth of what happened and how the two programs agreed on November 11.

“Scheduling is hard,” Kelsey stated at his press conference Wednesday morning. “It’s like putting a square peg in a round hole sometimes. When you are setting up dates with a program, they have dates, you have dates that work, and you are going back and forth, and the one that we were able to land on is that one. That is just the way it goes.”

The rivalry showdown, being that early in the season, is one thing, but the worst part is that it’s happening this season, the year when both programs are legitimate National Championship contenders. Louisville has the tenth-best odds, and Kentucky has the fifth-best odds to win the 2025-26 National Title. These two programs and their fan bases hate each other, and it was fitting for a game in December. However, Kelsey’s answer is painfully acceptable, as both schools are trying to put together a National Championship schedule, making it hard to agree on dates.

This game will kick off the season with a massive bang and serve as a significant recruiting pitch to 5-star recruits. The Louisville and Kentucky rivalry showdown is set to feature many future NBA All-Stars in this year’s matchup, and while fans may have wanted this game later in the season, it is time to accept the date and move forward.

Related: Louisville basketball’s Mikel Brown Jr. has Kentucky fans admitting the hype is real

For all the latest on Louisville basketball’s offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.