Executive Order on Preserving and Expanding College Sports
Impact Score: 4
Timeline: Regulatory plan within 30 days; litigation and policy review within 60 days (by late August and late September 2025)
Summary: The Executive Order seeks to protect and expand collegiate athletics, emphasizing support for non-revenue and women’s sports by imposing scholarship and roster adjustments based on athletic department revenue. It restricts third-party pay-for-play payments to preserve educational integrity. Key federal agencies, including the Departments of Education, Labor, Justice, and the FTC, will develop enforcement and litigation strategies. Vanderbilt University and similar institutions face increased regulatory compliance, potential budget impacts, and opportunities to lead in collegiate sports policy and research. The order also coordinates with the U.S. Olympic Committee to sustain national athletic success.
Key Actions: Vanderbilt should reassess athletic scholarship and roster allocations; engage with federal agencies to align with new regulations; monitor legal developments; promote student-athlete educational support; and leverage opportunities to expand non-revenue sports programs and research initiatives.
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