By Chris Marler
President Donald Trump and the federal government appear poised to step into the chaotic world of college athletics, according to reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Nick Saban is expected to be named co-chair of the Presidential Commission on college sports, along with a “prominent businessman with deep ties to college athletics,” a source told @TheAthletic.
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A new commission to oversee college athletics is reportedly in development, with former LSU and Alabama head coach Nick Saban expected to serve as co-chair alongside a “prominent businessman with strong ties to the college sports world,” a source told The Athletic.
The commission will examine and potentially help alleviate the growing list of issues in college athletics such as boosters, NIL, the transfer portal, conference alignment, and Title IX.
Trump first proposed the idea after meeting with Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa last week during his visit to deliver a commencement speech at the University of Alabama. Trump is expected to be very engaged in the discussions and commission meetings.
“A presidential commission offers the chance to bring fiscal sanity, restore regional conferences and competitive balance, and protect the future of non-revenue and Olympic sports,” said a spokesperson for Rep. Michael Baumgartner.
Baumgartner put forth a bill on reforming college sports prior to Trump’s involvement recently.
This news also comes as athletic departments across the country await on a decision from a federal judge on the revenue sharing agreement that will allow schools to pay players directly and legally for the first time ever.
