President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to reshape college sports, targeting what the White House described as &#8220;an out-of-control financial arms race&#8221; driven by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules.
Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/04/urgent-national-action-to-save-college-sports/">order,</a> signed last week, places new limits on eligibility and transfers, allowing collegiate athletes five years of eligibility and restricting most to one transfer, with an additional transfer permitted after earning a four-year degree. The order seeks to &#8220;ensure that the transfer window does not incentivize interference with athletic seasons or the academic year, or otherwise undermine the integrity of participation and competition in college athletics.&#8221;
&#8220;Fair competition cannot occur without a consistent set of rules concerning pay-for-play or player eligibility that cannot be endlessly relitigated in court,&#8221; Trump&#8217;s order states.
The policy is set to take effect on August 1 and threatens to withhold federal funding from universities that do not comply.
The order follows a series of court rulings, including a Supreme Court decision, that weakened the NCAA&#8217;s ability to restrict athletes&#8217; compensation, fueling the rapid expansion of NIL deals and a more fluid transfer portal. Under the current NIL system, athletes can move freely between programs while negotiating compensation.
The shift has increased financial pressure on universities, which the order says is &#8220;driving universities into debt, threatening to siphon resources from other sports, and damaging student-athletes’ educational and graduation opportunities.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s order also prohibits professional athletes from returning to collegiate competition, closing a loophole that allowed some players who had played professionally in Europe or in the NBA&#8217;s G League to join college teams.
The White House argues that the current system is straining universities and could jeopardize non-revenue sports.
&#8220;Absent a comprehensive national solution, therefore, the escalating financial demands to succeed in football and basketball combined with the significantly loosened rules governing eligibility, transfers, and pay-for-play schemes may force curtailment of women’s and Olympics sports, and may even jeopardize the overall financial well-being of universities with which the Federal Government has important financial relationships,&#8221; the order continues.
College sports fans and many coaches have criticized the apparent lack of structure for the transfer portal after the introduction of NIL. Since college football and basketball players have begun receiving compensation, with some athletes negotiating massive contracts, many fans argue that major college sports have turned into semi-professional leagues.
Coaches, meanwhile, have complained that NIL paired with a wide-open transfer portal hurts player and program development. With college athletes now eligible to sign contracts, players effectively become free agents immediately after the season as they or their agents shop for more favorable contracts.
The order, which will likely face a flurry of lawsuits, urges Congress to codify the president&#8217;s policies into law and protect college sports in the long term. Courts have consistently ruled in favor of athletes on NIL matters, making it nearly impossible for the NCAA to impose restrictions on transfers and eligibility.
The &#8220;Power 4&#8221; college sports conferences lauded Trump&#8217;s action last week and renewed their calls for Congress to pass legislation addressing the issue. A piece of legislation, called the SCORE Act, was introduced in the House last summer to address some of the issues around NIL and college athlete eligibility. The bill has bipartisan support but faces scrutiny from lawmakers and has stalled in committee.
Hall-of-fame former Alabama football coach Nick Saban also praised Trump for leading the effort to enact &#8220;regulation that would help us manage and fund all sports, so that we can continue to create opportunities for young people.&#8221;
Former University of Michigan quarterback David Cone, the co-host of On3&#8217;s sports talk show &#8220;Crain &amp; Cone,&#8221; told The Daily Wire that Congress ultimately needs to act for anything to change with the current college sports structure, otherwise Trump&#8217;s order could be overturned by the courts. Still, he added that he&#8217;s skeptical Congress will take up the issue anytime soon.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t seen anything from Congress over the last few years that tells me they&#8217;re all going to get their act together and, pun intended, pass one of these acts. I think this was a great showing by President Trump to attempt to solve some of the problems that will ultimately end up going nowhere.&#8221;

Donald Trump/College Sports

Trump Steps In As College Sports Turn Into A Money-Driven Free-For-All

College basketball

College Football

College sports

Donald Trump

NCAA

Sunday marked Easter and the day before the 2026 College Basketball National Championship game where the UConn Huskies are taking on the No. 1 seeded Michigan Wolverines. Huskies head coach Dan Hurley spent his Sunday in that order —  observing Easter came first, then it was time to game plan.
&#8220;Once I got out of Mass this morning, now it&#8217;s preparing for Michigan,&#8221; Hurley said Sunday.
The two-time national champion is getting UConn ready for their third title game in four years. A dynasty in the works. Though Hurley leans on his faith to get through the grueling college basketball season, he&#8217;s not praying for a positive outcome on the court.
&#8220;I’m praying for strength, for all the people that I’ve lost, and I pray to God for wisdom,&#8221; Hurley told <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/interview/dan-hurley-uconn-basketball-faith-and-family#:~:text=Hurley%20says%20that%20he%20models%20his%20faith,meditation%20practices%20with%20his%20players%20*%20Journaling">National Catholic Register</a> after his second championship. &#8220;And I do ask that we could be at our best. But I don’t ask to win the game. I ask for everyone to be at their best.&#8221;
Psalm 23 is what Hurley says he prays every day.
&#8220;The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name&#8217;s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever,&#8221; the passage states.
&#8220;I pray every morning because maybe of the line of work I’m in: the stress level and intensity of it. I’m an intense person, and that really resonates to me,&#8221; Hurley said. &#8220;I also like the Proverbs, the Our Father, Hail Mary and the &#8216;Serenity Prayer.'&#8221;
He&#8217;s a man who sticks to his routine, especially on game day. Monday, he will know nothing more or less than he does for every game day as he sets his eyes on a third title, and sixth overall, for Connecticut.
UConn is the underdog, but Hurley said his team is ready to take on a &#8220;dominant&#8221; Michigan team, adding that sometimes, the best team doesn&#8217;t cut down the nets at the end of the NCAA Tournament.
&#8220;You’ve just got to be better for one night, and obviously for us, we need to play the game a certain type of way where we obviously can’t get into a certain type of game with Michigan. They’re an incredibly dominant team,&#8221; Hurley said.
&#8220;There are no holes in their attack, they&#8217;re an elite defensive team, they&#8217;re an elite offensive team. They crush the glass.&#8221;
Michigan head coach Dusty May gave credit to Hurley and his team&#8217;s ability to fight till the end.
&#8220;They take what the games give them, they ride a hot hand &#8230; so there&#8217;s just a number of challenges,&#8221; May said. &#8220;You can&#8217;t go into this game saying if you do this, we are going to win &#8230; even if we do that well, they&#8217;re going to pivot, and we are going to have to find a way to counter that pivot.&#8221;
UConn and Michigan tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET.

Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

UConn Coach Dan Hurley Went To Mass On Sunday — But He Didn’t Pray To Win The National Championship

General

Michigan

Sports

U.S.

UCONN

President Donald Trump, as well as some of the biggest names in sports, are at the White House Friday for a roundtable discussion on college sports.
&#8220;The president wants to save college sports,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Friday, &#8220;It&#8217;s very important to him and to so many athletes across the country to fix the broken system.&#8221;
According to Fox News, the president is fed up with the overspending on players and the constant transfer of players between schools. A big focus of the meeting will be how to rein in NIL, which stands for name, image, and likeness. NIL is how the players make their millions. Another area of focus will be collective bargaining.
&#8220;The president is saying enough is enough,&#8221; Darren Botelho said.
Trump is not against players being paid, but instead he is focusing on keeping college sports as amateur as it can be in the new NIL era.
Trump will be the chair of the Saving College Sports Roundtable, alongside vice chairs Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and New York Yankees President Randy Levine.
Notable sports figures attending Friday&#8217;s gathering include Nick Saban, Tiger Woods, Urban Meyer, and Tony Dungy.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is set to attend alongside several NCAA conference commissioners and media execs. In total, more than 30 people will be in attendance. As of now, there are no current players or coaches participating in the roundtable.
In response to the lack of current athletes attending the roundtable, Temple University football player Kahlil Poteat said: &#8220;We deserve a seat at the table. We as athletes are the reason the stands are filled, logos are worn, and the game thrives the way it does. Ever since I was a little kid, I dreamed about making it to the Division I level to play the sport I love. It is unfair and unfaithful to hold a discussion without the main attraction in mind. We deserve a say, just like the executives and leaders, in sports and in our futures. I believe that we, as athletes at every level, deserve to be at the table and fight for our best interest. We want college sports to thrive just like everyone else in the room. So let’s bond together to generate the best outcome for all.&#8221;
Trump hasn&#8217;t shied away from sports during his second term; the president signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-saves-college-sports/">executive order</a> to ban third-party pay-for-play payments, while allowing legitimate NIL endorsement deals. He also <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-saves-college-sports/">called on schools</a> to expand &#8220;opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports.&#8221;
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has long supported Trump getting involved with the landscape of college sports. Last May, Tuberville said he is confident the Trump administration can find a solution to the current chaos at the college level.
&#8220;While I’m all for players making money, we need to create national standards to protect the integrity of college sports,&#8221; Tuberville said.

Credit: Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images

Trump Convenes Star-Studded Roundtable To ‘Save College Sports’

Executive

Trump

Women's sports

The NCAA’s <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-media-fans-losing-minds-222225599.html">decision</a> to grant immediate eligibility to James Nnaji, a former NBA Draft pick, marks a potentially transformative moment in the relationship between professional and college basketball.
Nnaji, a 7-foot, 21-year-old Nigerian-born center, has committed to Baylor University and received four years of NCAA eligibility, allowing him to play for the Bears beginning in the middle of the 2025–26 season. This ruling is unprecedented in modern college basketball and has sparked widespread confusion and criticism across the sport.
Nnaji was selected 31st overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, initially by the Detroit Pistons, before his rights were traded to the Charlotte Hornets and later to the New York Knicks in a three-team deal involving Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite being drafted, Nnaji never signed an NBA contract and has not played in an NBA regular-season game. Instead, he has spent several years playing professionally overseas with clubs such as FC Barcelona, Merkezefendi, and Girona, and has also appeared in NBA Summer League games, most recently with the Knicks.
According to reports, the Knicks will retain Nnaji’s NBA rights while he plays at Baylor, effectively creating a situation likened to an NBA team “loaning” a drafted player to a college program. This has raised alarms that NBA teams could now draft prospects, stash them in college basketball, and continue to control their professional futures. Coaches, analysts, and fans reacted strongly, with UConn coach Dan Hurley and former Indiana coach Tom Crean publicly criticizing the NCAA’s lack of clarity and long-term planning. Media members such as Jeff Goodman and Zach Braziller described the decision as evidence that NCAA rules are being improvised without consistent standards.
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Don’t be mad at the players , agents, brokers or coaches. Don’t be mad at the current people in charge. If you’re upset go back and look at every “perfunctory “ committee that was formed to take a path of least resistance and who put them together and participated. Years ago.
&mdash; Tom Crean (@TomCrean) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCrean/status/2003911589586698544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Santa Claus is delivering mid season acquisitions…this s*** is crazy!! 🤪
&mdash; Dan Hurley (@dhurley15) <a href="https://twitter.com/dhurley15/status/2003909511250329610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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It’s hard to blame Scott Drew or any of the college coaches for this if it’s allowed by the NCAA. 
But it’s become a complete joke now because there are no rules anymore. 
It’s just “make it up as you go” now. 
And where does it end? <a href="https://t.co/6pGKj8bZoT">https://t.co/6pGKj8bZoT</a>
&mdash; Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/2003916833108504676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Old enough to remember players being ruled ineligible for accepting a free meal from fans. Now, players can literally get drafted and come back to school. Just a mockery of the sport at this point.
&mdash; Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/2003928315309232377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The controversy is amplified by the NCAA’s own <a href="applewebdata://26731DC5-C904-4105-A86B-81E8AA9D35B5/v">bylaws</a>, which state that a men’s basketball player may jeopardize eligibility by entering the NBA Draft and being drafted. The apparent loophole in Nnaji’s case centers on the fact that he never enrolled in college before being drafted and never signed an NBA contract. Because NCAA draft-related amateurism rules apply only after initial collegiate enrollment, Nnaji was deemed eligible despite years of professional experience overseas.
This decision follows a broader trend of the NCAA allowing former professional players, including ex–G League athletes, to compete in college basketball. With NIL compensation turning top NCAA programs into one of the most lucrative basketball environments in the world, the traditional definition of amateurism has eroded. Critics argue the Nnaji ruling sets a dangerous precedent, undermines the NCAA’s credibility, and could fundamentally reshape the pipeline between college basketball and the NBA.

LDLC Asvel Villeurbanne v FC Barcelona – Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

NCAA Grants Eligibility To Former NBA Draft Pick James Nnaji In Landmark Decision

Basketball

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines thanked President Donald Trump for defending women in sports and for bringing about a deal that resulted in the University of Pennsylvania apologizing for the damage wrought by its decision to allow a trans-identifying male swimmer to compete as a member of its women&#8217;s team.
The agreement also saw Lia (formerly William) Thomas stripped of medals and the records returned to the women who had rightfully earned them — including Gaines, who famously tied with Thomas for fifth place in the 200 freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
&#8220;UPenn has agreed to right its wrongs, restore records to the rightful female athletes, and issue an apology to the women impacted by the man they allowed to compete as a woman. Are pigs flying? God bless @realDonaldTrump,&#8221; Gaines wrote in a post on X.
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UPenn has agreed to right its wrongs, restore records to the rightful female athletes, and issue an apology to the women impacted by the man they allowed to compete as a woman.
Are pigs flying?
God bless <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>. <a href="https://t.co/PZxcieyp7m">pic.twitter.com/PZxcieyp7m</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1940187628021694922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But even as Gaines was thanking Trump for his administration&#8217;s efforts to protect women in athletics, others were pointing out the fact that if Gaines herself had not been one of the first to take a stand — to protect herself and other women and girls — that the result she saw on Tuesday might never have been realized.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial&amp;_gl=1*r8odly*_gcl_au*MTQ5MDUzNjQ0NC4xNzQ1ODQ0MzMyLjEwNDAyMzM0NDQuMTc0NzY1MzIxNy4xNzQ3NjUzMjE3*_ga*MTM1OTk4Njg2NS4xNzA2NzE2NTAy*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NTEyOTIzMDQkbzMyJGcxJHQxNzUxMjkyOTI5JGo1NyRsMCRoMA.." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-75638">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
&#8220;UPenn caves after federal investigation into Lia Thomas, and will now enforce Trump’s mandate to BAN men from women’s sports. This is a major win for women everywhere. And it wouldn’t have happened without Riley Gaines. She fought hard and now the tide is turning,&#8221; conservative podcast host Benny Johnson posted.
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UPenn caves after federal investigation into Lia Thomas, and will now enforce Trump’s mandate to BAN men from women’s sports.
This is a major win for women everywhere. And it wouldn’t have happened without Riley Gaines. She fought hard and now the tide is turning. 👊🏻🔥 <a href="https://t.co/rlkgdvIWEz">pic.twitter.com/rlkgdvIWEz</a>
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1940165174364876875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Paula Scanlan, a teammate of Thomas&#8217; at UPenn, spoke out even after being told by school officials to simply shut up and swim. She credits Gaines with helping her to take a stand.
&#8220;I wanted to take a quick moment to thank @Riley_Gaines_. She’s become the teammate I wish I had in college. I was silenced, bullied and unsupported by my teammates and my university. Today and everyday, I’m grateful for our friendship and how much she’s helped me grow,&#8221; Scanlan posted.
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I wanted to take a quick moment to thank <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a>
She’s become the teammate I wish I had in college. I was silenced, bullied and unsupported by my teammates and my university.
Today and everyday, I’m grateful for our friendship and how much she’s helped me grow ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/u1RljDLuue">pic.twitter.com/u1RljDLuue</a>
— Paula Scanlan (@PaulaYScanlan) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulaYScanlan/status/1940217285819691464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former champion gymnast and XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey added, &#8220;UPenn rescinded all of the accolades given to Will Thomas because we have FREEDOM OF SPEECH in the US. @PaulaYScanlan @Riley_Gaines_ @xx_xyathletics and many others spoke out about the injustice. It made a difference in the end. Happy independence day (sic)!&#8221;
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UPenn rescinded all of the accolades given to Will Thomas because we have FREEDOM OF SPEECH in the US. <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulaYScanlan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaulaYScanlan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/xx_xyathletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xx_xyathletics</a> and many others spoke out about the injustice.
It made a difference in the end.
Happy independence day! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/tqpOu7dzsO">pic.twitter.com/tqpOu7dzsO</a>
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferSey/status/1940417391495684602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It’s wild that there is a percentage of people brainwashed by their religion (liberalism) to believe it’s &#8216;evil&#8217; to stop people w/ testicles from violating women &amp; dominating their sports. Anyway, shoutout @Riley_Gaines_ for trailblazing on this issue when it was unpopular,&#8221; Jason Howerton added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s wild that there is a percentage of people brainwashed by their religion (liberalism) to believe it’s “evil” to stop people w/ testicles from violating women &amp; dominating their sports.
Anyway, shoutout <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Riley_Gaines_</a> for trailblazing on this issue when it was unpopular <a href="https://t.co/8eu3d4q3mC">pic.twitter.com/8eu3d4q3mC</a>
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) <a href="https://twitter.com/jason_howerton/status/1940233088011051510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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NCAA SWIMMING: MAR 18 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships

‘Are Pigs Flying?’: Riley Gaines Praises Trump As UPenn Strips Records From Trans Swimmer

‘Are Pigs Flying?’: Riley Gaines Praises Trump As UPenn Strips Records, Titles From Trans Swimmer

Lia Thomas

Politics

Riley Gaines

Social Issues

Transgender Athletes

University of Pennsylvania

Women's Swimming

The following article was adapted from a “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1arnooNZK8">Morning Wire</a>” interview with “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/crain-and-company">Crain &amp; Company</a>” host David Cone that was released on Wednesday, June 11. 
A new era has dawned in the world of college sports. Something that was illegal just a week ago – schools paying players – is now the law of the land. 
Last week, a settlement was <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2025/06/07/ncaa-revenue-sharing-settlement-questions/83221673007/">approved</a> in the case, House vs. NCAA, a class-action lawsuit that claimed the NCAA was illegally limiting the earning potential of college athletes. This agreement ends three separate antitrust lawsuits, and it means schools can now begin paying their athletes directly. 
Outkick’s Trey Wallace joined us over at “Crain &amp; Company” earlier this week to lay out how he believes this decision will affect college athletics going forward. Wallace said the settlement will eventually lead to some schools cutting certain sports.
“I hate to say it,” Wallace told us. “But you’re gonna see cuts in track and field, rowing, volleyball, mid-major softball programs. You can’t afford them anymore. You&#8217;re relying on football to pay the bills.” 
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With this settlement comes an annual cap, much like a salary cap in professional sports, and it is expected to start at roughly $20.5 million per school in 2025-26. It will then increase every year during the decade-long deal. These new payments are in addition to scholarships and other benefits the athletes already receive.
The first checks will be cut on July 1, so schools and conferences need to act quickly and establish the necessary infrastructure to enforce their new rules. And this doesn’t just affect current and future athletes; the NCAA will also pay nearly $2.8 billion in back damages over the next 10 years to athletes who competed in college at any time from 2016 through the present day.
In short, this is a shift from name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals student athletes made with companies and collectives to direct pay from the schools. So the cases of O’Bannon vs. NCAA and Alston vs. NCAA paved the way for college athletes to receive NIL money, but those payments were coming from third parties rather than from the athletic programs themselves. This settlement allows schools to share their revenue directly with athletes for the first time, and it also enables programs to create new rules designed to limit the influence of boosters and collectives. Starting this summer, any endorsement deal between a booster and an athlete will be vetted to ensure it’s for a &#8220;valid business purpose&#8221; rather than a recruiting incentive.
Now, what will be interesting to monitor is how each athletic director allocates that $20.5 million between their various sports, as Wallace hinted at in his interview with us. Another thing to watch for is how each program will continue to incorporate NIL deals on top of the revenue-sharing payments.
This development still won’t end the debates regarding how long athletes can compete at the college level, and whether or not they should be considered employees who are represented by a union for the purposes of collective bargaining. 
However, NCAA president Charlie Baker does believe this will help regulate what has been a very volatile market in college sports. In an <a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2025/6/6/media-center-a-letter-from-ncaa-president-charlie-baker.aspx">open letter</a> posted last Friday, Baker stated, “This is new terrain for everyone. Given the defendant conferences&#8217; new ownership of complicated pieces of rulemaking and enforcement, there will be a transition period and certainly bumps in the road. Opportunities to drive transformative change don&#8217;t come often to organizations like ours. It&#8217;s important we make the most of this one. We have accomplished a lot over the last several months, from new health and wellness and academic requirements to a stronger financial footing. Together, we can use this new beginning to launch college sports into the future, too.”

A Landmark Settlement Rings In A New Era Of College Sports. Will The Tradition We Love Survive?

Crain and Company

Morning Wire

California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom moves to block the Marines and National Guard as anti-ICE riots continue in Los Angeles. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ousts an entire vaccine advisory panel, saying they’ve lost the public’s trust. And college athletes will now get paid to play.
It’s Wednesday, June 11, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Riots Spread &amp; Vaccine Board Fired" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y1arnooNZK8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Anti-ICE Riots Spread</h2>
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Topline: As anti-ICE riots continue in L.A., more violent demonstrations have broken out in cities nationwide.
In the last day, we’ve seen the demonstrations spread. In San Francisco, for example, more than 150 people were arrested after a riot began outside of an ICE office, where cars and city buses were destroyed, storefronts vandalized, and police assaulted. In New York City, at least a dozen protesters were arrested outside Trump Tower after resisting police while attempting to shut down traffic. Anti-ICE organizers say they are planning demonstrations in Chicago, Austin, Dallas, Atlanta, and elsewhere.
But Los Angeles is still the epicenter of the unrest. A section of downtown is cleaning up after stores were looted and the area was vandalized, with a large Apple Store robbed by hundreds of rioters — we also saw jewelry and shoe stores looted as well.
&#8220;This is ridiculous,” one local business owner told <a href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1932473175679373387">NewsNation</a>. “This doesn&#8217;t look like they&#8217;re protesting for ICE or anything. &#8230; Just looting the stores.&#8221;
L.A.’s Democratic Mayor Karen Bass continued to downplay the riots, saying on Tuesday that the violence is only taking place in “several isolated streets in downtown Los Angeles. It is not even all of downtown Los Angeles.&#8221; Bass has made clear from the start that she places the blame on the Trump administration, which she says “provoked” unrest with their raids and threat of bringing in the National Guard. Bass has also said that the media has blown the situation out of proportion and that the LAPD has the situation under control.
However, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell <a href="https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/1931919309229392192">said</a> earlier this week that his force had been overwhelmed. “Tonight, we had individuals shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you. … We are overwhelmed as far as the number of people out there engaged in this activity. … There is no limit to what they are doing to our officers.&#8221;
President Trump has deployed 700 U.S. Marines and 4,000 members of the California National Guard to the area since the unrest began. Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump had a clear message for folks in the rest of the country: the ICE raids will continue, and if you riot, we will respond with force.
Democrats nationwide have continued to push back on Trump’s mobilizing of the National Guard and Marines, saying it is unnecessary and even fascist. Governor Newsom is suing the Trump administration, calling the mobilization of troops an “unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.” On Tuesday, he also filed an <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/newsom-files-emergency-motion-to-block-military-deployment-in-la/">emergency motion</a> requesting a restraining order to block the deployment of Guardsmen and Marines.
<h2>Vaccine Panel Gutted</h2>
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Topline: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all members of a key vaccine advisory panel.
The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, known as ACIP, meets a few times a year and makes recommendations to the CDC; it basically sets the childhood vaccine schedule and makes other vaccine-related recommendations, like flu shots and COVID vaccines. ACIP also heavily influences which vaccines are covered by both public and private insurance.
On Monday, Kennedy announced that he’s “retired” all 17 members. In an op-ed submitted to The Wall Street Journal, Kennedy argued that ACIP had become a rubber stamp for all vaccines, and they weren’t appropriately diving into potential safety risks. He wrote that ACIP has “never recommended against a vaccine—even those which were later withdrawn for safety reasons,” adding that the panel “failed to scrutinize vaccine products given to babies and pregnant women.” Kennedy also highlighted conflicts of interest from ACIP and cited past investigation findings that said ACIP’s enforcement of conflict of interest rules was “weak to nonexistent” and said the panel didn’t offer transparency with their decision-making.
Thirteen of the 17 ACIP panelists were appointed by the Biden administration in 2024. Kennedy said that if he waited for them to serve out what is typically four years on the job, he wouldn&#8217;t be able to get a new panel until 2028, which is part of the reasoning for this swift “clean sweep.”
<h2>College Athletes&#8217; Pay Day</h2>
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Topline: College athletes can now be paid directly by their schools after a huge lawsuit was settled this week.
A new era has dawned in the world of college sports. Something that was illegal just a week ago – schools paying players – is now the law of the land.
A settlement in the case of House vs. NCAA, a class-action lawsuit which claimed the NCAA was illegally limiting the earning potential of college athletes, has been approved by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken. This agreement ends three separate antitrust lawsuits, and it means schools can now begin paying their athletes directly.
The first checks will be cut on July 1. The settlement doesn’t just affect current and future athletes. The NCAA will pay nearly $2.8 billion in back damages over the next 10 years to athletes who competed in college at any time from 2016 through the present day. The settlement comes with an annual cap, much like a salary cap in professional sports, that is expected to start at roughly $20.5 million per school in 2025-26. It will then increase every year during the decade-long deal. These new payments are in addition to scholarships and other benefits the athletes already receive.
It will be interesting to see how each athletic department allocates that $20.5 million between their various sports, and how each program will continue to incorporate NIL deals on top of the revenue-sharing payments.
“If you’re a fan of a group of 5 school, if you’re a fan of one of these middle schools, get ready for hard times,” sports commentator Paul Feinbaum said in response to the deal. &#8220;Women&#8217;s sports will be hurt, Olympic sports will be crushed, football wins, basketball — other than maybe the Big East — takes a slight back seat.”
NCAA President Charlie Baker was more optimistic and said he believes the settlement will help regulate what has been a very volatile market in college sports. “Opportunities to drive transformative change don&#8217;t come often to organizations like ours. It&#8217;s important we make the most of this one.”

MRN 6.11.25 Wed Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Anti-ICE Riots Spread, Vaccine Panel Gutted, & College Athletes Get A Big Payday

Gavin Newsom

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Karen Bass

Los Angeles

Media

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Vaccines

For the first time in 17 years, the four top-seeded teams in the March Madness tournament will meet in the Final Four — and in the same city as the last time it happened.
On Saturday, the University of Florida Gators beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Duke University defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide. On Sunday, Auburn defeated two-seed Michigan State, while Houston defeated Tennessee. Florida and Auburn, both from the SEC, will meet in the semifinals, while Houston plays Duke on April 5 at the Alamodome.
Such a matchup hasn&#8217;t happened since 2008, when Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA met in San Antonio. That year, Kansas defeated Memphis to take the crown.
Duke, coached by Jon Scheyer, is favored to win the title, with star freshman Cooper Flagg seeming a probable choice for the most outstanding player.
However, the Blue Devils face a tough match against Houston; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6243379/2025/03/31/final-four-no-1-seeds-duke-auburn-florida-houston/">according</a> to statistical archivist Ken Pomeroy, Duke has the best offense in college basketball, but Houston has the best defense. Additionally, Houston led the country in 3-point shooting, making almost 40% of their shots. One key difference could be Duke’s youth: their frontcourt of four freshmen will face three players who are 22 or older.
Florida, led by star player Walter Clayton Jr., defeated Auburn earlier in the season 90-81/
Duke has won the national title five times, all coached by Mike Mike Krzyzewski, who also brought the team to the finals four times. Florida won the national title in 2006 and 2007 under Coach Billy Donovan. Houston made the finals twice, in 1983 and 1984.
Auburn has never played in a national championship game.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Elite Eight – San Francisco

Final Four Is All No. 1 Seeds For Only The Second Time In March Madness History

Alabama

Duke University

United States Air Force 2nd Lieutenant Wyatt Hendrickson stopped to salute President Donald Trump, his commander in chief, just after he won his NCAA wrestling championship.
Hendrickson could be seen just after his win turning to President Trump, snapping to the position of attention, and rendering a salute. Trump, who was attending the event and seated in the front row, raised his fist in salute to Hendrickson.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Wyatt Hendrickson — a second lieutenant in the <a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usairforce</a> — salutes President Donald J. Trump after winning an <a href="https://twitter.com/NCAAWrestling?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCAAWrestling</a> national championship 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/KK4ngwH7mW">pic.twitter.com/KK4ngwH7mW</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1903633710462775472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The announcers could be heard referring to Hendrickson as &#8220;Captain America,&#8221; laughing as the Air Force LT draped himself in an American flag. &#8220;I can&#8217;t believe it,&#8221; one said, and another added, &#8220;My jaw is on the floor.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/sport/wyatt-hendrickson-gable-steveson-trump-ncaa-wrestling-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hendrickson&#8217;s win</a> against Olympic champion Gable Steveson came after he delivered a stunning takedown — the only takedown Steveson allowed the entire season — in the final moments of the match, coming from behind to win the heavyweight title.
&#8220;All the matches were terrific last night, but they saved the best for last! Wyatt Hendrickson, an Air Force Academy graduate, pulled off a huge upset — something I know a little bit about — beating an Olympic champion. When I say when I watch wrestling, I see America — this is what I’m talking about,&#8221; Senator David McCormick (R-PA) commented.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
All the matches were terrific last night, but they saved the best for last! Wyatt Hendrickson, an Air Force Academy graduate, pulled off a huge upset &#8211; something I know a little bit about &#8211; beating an Olympic champion.
When I say when I watch wrestling, I see America &#8211; this is… <a href="https://t.co/GIyeYTyNg6">https://t.co/GIyeYTyNg6</a> <a href="https://t.co/L8WAAaginU">pic.twitter.com/L8WAAaginU</a>
&mdash; Senator Dave McCormick (@SenMcCormickPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcCormickPA/status/1903820472023749076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hendrickson, who wrestles for Oklahoma State University, made an appearance Monday morning on Fox News and told &#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221; anchor Bill Hemmer about how &#8220;special&#8221; it was to have Trump in the audience when he won the title.
&#8220;That&#8217;s pretty special, I gotta be very honest with you,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That is very special, you know when we talk about the final boss — like that is the boss of my boss of my boss, so, you know, having him be there and support the great sport of wrestling and be able to watch me have a historic moment like that, I mean, that&#8217;s something I&#8217;ll remember for the rest of my life.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Oklahoma State wrestler and Air Force Second Lieutenant Wyatt Hendrickson on winning the national championship with President Trump watching: &quot;Having him be there and support the great sport of wrestling and be able to watch me have a historic moment like that &#8212; that&#39;s something… <a href="https://t.co/qg4LE8MNsX">pic.twitter.com/qg4LE8MNsX</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1904179323906437626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship

Air Force LT Wins NCAA Wrestling Title, Stops In His Tracks To Salute President Trump

U.S. Air Force

Wrestling

West Virginia Republican Governor Patrick Morrisey wants more “objective criteria” to determine which college basketball teams secure a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament.
Morrisey appeared on Daily Wire’s sports podcast Crain and Company on Tuesday after the West Virginia Mountaineers (19-13), a team on the bubble, did not make the bracket. The team finished 10-10 in Big 12 Conference matchups.
“That was outrageous for a lot of reasons. And that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s important that we step up and get to the bottom of things, because I don&#8217;t think we should have this kind of travesty, this kind of robbery, ever occur in the future,” Morrisey said. The governor has called for an investigation into the tournament selection process.
Critics have blasted the NCAA tournament selection committee for including the North Carolina Tar Heels (23-13) in the bracket over the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers had a more impressive resume when the strength of their schedule was taken into account. WVU had six Quad 1 wins, the most impressive wins as measured by the NCAA, and no losses below Quad 2. UNC, on the other hand, went 1-12 in Quad 1 matchups and a Quad 3 loss, which means a loss to a relatively weak team.
In early December, WVU star Tucker DeVries, the son of WVU’s head coach, Darian DeVries, sustained a season-ending injury. That was the primary reason WVU did not make it into the tournament, according to Bubba Cunningham, the NCAA tournament selection committee chairman. Cunningham also serves as North Carolina&#8217;s athletic director.
Even with DeVries out, experts expected the Mountaineers to receive a tournament invite.
“Everyone had WVU safely in the bracket. One hundred eleven out of 111 bracketologists – these are these people that do this for a living, they come up with these formulas – universally say WVU is in,” Morrisey said. “By the way, UNC, 27 of the 111 bracketologists say that.”
Cunningham’s dual roles as chairman of the selection committee and athletic director for UNC have incited allegations that the WVU snub may be about more than incompetency or favoritism. Cunningham said he was not in the room when the decision on UNC was made and asserted that &#8220;all the policies and procedures were followed.&#8221;
In a press conference earlier this week, Morrisey raged against the NCAA from behind a podium with a sign that read “National Corrupt Athletic Association.”
“You have an athletic director walk out the door at the supposed just right time, and then their team gets secured as the last team in, and, meanwhile WVU is the last team out,” Morrisey said. “So, I want sunlight, I want disinfectant. That&#8217;s what this is all about. Let’s fix it for the future.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="March Madness TAMPERING?! West Virginia Governor Explains His Investigation | Crain &amp; Company" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JDFrujL4RYA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Patrick Morrisey

West Virginia GOP Governor Wants NCAA Tourney Overhauled After WVU Snub

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey Wants NCAA Tourney Overhauled After WVU Snub

March Madness

West Virginia

A new ad from the pro-woman brand XX-XY Athletics calls out the NCAA for a new transgender policy that women’s sports advocates warn will still allow a possible loophole for trans-identifying males to continue to compete in women’s sports.
The ad — shared by Riley Gaines on <a href="https://x.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1894764315250491500">X</a> — from the company’s founder Jennifer Sey, showcases female athletes who’ve lost out on opportunities because of male trans-identifying athletes and those who have faced attacks for standing up for themselves and other girls.
“We see you NCAA,” the ad starts out. “You announced a new policy after [President Donald] Trump’s executive order, this policy does not protect females. It sets no clear boundary.”
“This policy does nothing to ensure women’s sports are for women only,” the athletes added. “You said you were going to comply with federal law, but you didn’t. Your policy is based on a birth certificate. That’s the proof required. But it’s no proof of sex.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The new NCAA policy is in direct conflict with President Trumps beautifully written Executive Order, &#8220;Keeping Men Out of Women&#8217;s Sports&#8221;.
We see you, <a href="https://twitter.com/NCAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCAA</a><a href="https://t.co/6QHTXozSVr">pic.twitter.com/6QHTXozSVr</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1894764315250491500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Gaines and others in the ad point out that in 44 states birth certificates can be altered.
The ad closes with a call to the NCAA to go back to the drawing board and fix the policy, warning the governing body that athletes and women’s sports advocates can see right through what it appears the NCAA is attempting to do.
“We see you [NCAA President] Charlie Baker,” the female sports players concluded. “We see you NCAA. We see you … you tried to silence us but we are not going away. Young athletes are depending on us. Depending on you. And if you won’t stand up for female athletes, we will.”
Gaines, Sage Steele, and other women’s sports advocates recently warned that there was a loophole in the NCAA policy that could be exploited to allow trans-identifying male athletes to compete against women.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ncaas-new-trans-participation-policy-as-clear-mud-riley-gaines-says?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=later-linkinbio">Fox News</a>, the former collegiate female swimmer said that the new policy is “explicitly in conflict” with Trump’s executive order, which asserts an outright ban on biological men competing in women’s sports.
NCAA announced its new policy for “student-athletes ‘assigned male at birth’ and their participation on women’s teams” following Trump’s EO, which uses “gender identity” language instead of male and female definition for sex. It is that “gender identity” language that has Gaines and other advocates for girls sports concerned.
“No. 1, first and foremost, this policy removes all accountability from the NCAA, which, of course, is something that has been on their minds for a long time,” Gaines said. “It provides loopholes for both states and schools because it does not define sex, which we have seen now is a problem, unfortunately.”
“I mean, it’s wild we have to define sex-based terms like male and female, but we’ve seen what happens when we don’t,” she added, noting that all but 6 states in the U.S. allow birth certificates to be altered.
A spokesperson for the NCAA told the outlet, “The policy is clear that there are no waivers available, and athletes assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or other forms of ID.”
Despite NCAA comments, Gaines expressed concern and said “the policy is as clear as mud.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/riley-gaines-sage-steele-warn-about-possible-ncaa-loophole-for-trans-identifying-male-athletes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riley Gaines, Sage Steele Warn About Possible NCAA Loophole For Trans-Identifying Male Athletes</a>

Trans Sports

‘We See You’: New Ad Calls Out NCAA For New Transgender Policy

Three Fresno State University college basketball players are at the center of a university and NCAA investigation into alleged sports gambling, including two players accused of betting on their own games.
One player, Mykell Robinson, has been removed from the team, and two other players, Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins, have been suspended over their potential ties to sports gambling, ABC 30 Action News <a href="https://abc30.com/post/fresno-state-mens-basketball-players-allegedly-placed-bets-games-played-sources-say/15946235/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. According to the report, Robinson and Weaver allegedly placed bets on their own team, including bets that the Bulldogs would underperform in total points and rebounds in one game. Collins, meanwhile, is being investigated for placing bets on professional sports.
Fresno State, which is in the middle of its worst season in program history, will now lose two of its top three scorers — Weaver and Collins — for the foreseeable future, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43969441/fresno-state-holds-players-source-confirms-betting-inquiry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN</a>. Weaver is averaging 12.5 points per game this season, while Collins averages 12 points per game. Collins also leads the team with 4.7 assists per game.
The Bulldogs moved to 5-23 on the season after their last loss to Air Force, which put them on a 10-game losing streak. The team&#8217;s head coach, Vance Walberg, reportedly discovered the alleged gambling by the student-athletes and notified the university&#8217;s administration.
Robinson — who averaged 10.3 points per game — has not played since January 11, while Weaver and Collins were suspended just before the team tipped off against Air Force on Saturday. The Bulldogs, playing with only seven players, lost in overtime, 72-69. Just 30 minutes before the game started against Air Force, Fresno State announced that the two players were &#8220;being withheld from competition as the University reviews an eligibility matter.&#8221;
&#8220;The University and Athletics Department will have no further comments regarding the matter at this time,&#8221; Fresno State added.
Fresno State, currently part of the Mountain West Conference, announced last year that it would join the Pac-12 effective July 1, 2026.

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