President Trump forms committees as push for college sports reform takes another step forward

By: CBS Sports Posted On: March 26, 2026 View: 1

The push for college sports reform at the White House is moving fast. President Donald Trump has formed five committees on college sports -- covering legislation, rules, NCAA reform, media and player issues -- with meetings expected to begin next week, people familiar with the decision tell CBS Sports. The President's Oversight Committee will collect the groups' recommendations and make final calls.

The news comes on the heels of President Trump's unprecedented "Saving College Sports" roundtable earlier this month in Washington D.C., where dozens of college sports leaders, media executives, pro sports executives and politicians met for two hours at the White House.

The meeting, which stretched far beyond its scheduled one-hour window, spotlighted the growing urgency among stakeholders to address systemic issues facing college athletics, from NIL regulations to the financial sustainability of programs across all sports.

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At the roundtable, participants painted a picture of a college sports system in crisis. Coaches and athletic administrators highlighted the difficulties of balancing competitive success with student-athlete development, academics and personal growth.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban warned that the current system makes it increasingly difficult to prepare players for life beyond athletics, while former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer called donor collectives a form of "cheating" in an already complex NIL landscape. Media and professional sports executives added that college athletics is not just a cultural cornerstone, but a vital pipeline for professional leagues and Olympic sports, raising concerns about long-term talent development.

Lawmakers and political leaders also weighed in. They highlighted the SCORE Act, a Republican-backed bill aimed at standardizing NIL rules and creating a national regulatory framework. But passing the legislation will be challenging: Sen. Ted Cruz noted it requires 60 Senate votes, yet few Democrats are ready to support it. Stakeholders stressed that compromise will be necessary, with no single group likely to get everything it wants.

In response, President Trump moved quickly to form five committees, signaling a top-down approach to reform. Each group will tackle a specific area -- legislation, rules, NCAA reform, media and player issues -- and forward recommendations to the President's Oversight Committee, which will make final decisions. No current college athletes were present at the initial roundtable or included in the newly formed committees.

CBS Sports can confirm the following leaders have been invited to serve on the five committees:

Legislative Committee

Pete Bevacqua — Notre Dame athletic director
Cody Campbell — Texas Tech University System Board of Regents chairman; Matador Club co-founder
Bryson DeChambeau — LIV Golf player
Ron DeSantis — Governor of Florida
Sarah Hirshland — USOPC CEO
Jonathan Kraft — New England Patriots president
Randy Levine — New York Yankees president
Condoleezza Rice — Former U.S. Secretary of State
Nick Saban — Former Alabama head coach
Adam Silver — NBA commissioner

Rules Committee

Val Ackerman — Big East commissioner
Pete Bevacqua — Notre Dame athletic director
Charlie Baker — NCAA president
Mack Brown — Former North Carolina head coach
Joe Castiglione — Former Oklahoma athletic director
John Currie — Wake Forest athletic director
Jeremiah Dickey — Boise State athletic director
Scott Dolson — Indiana athletic director
Jonathan Kraft — New England Patriots president
Lou Lamoriello — Former NHL general manager
Urban Meyer — Former Ohio State/Jacksonville Jaguars head coach
Tim Pernetti — AAC commissioner
Jim Phillips — ACC commissioner
Jamie Pollard — Iowa State athletic director
Condoleezza Rice — Former U.S. Secretary of State
Greg Sankey — SEC commissioner
Nick Saban — Former Alabama head coach
Tony Petitti — Big Ten commissioner
Brett Yormark — Big 12 commissioner

*Player reps will be added

NCAA Reform

Pete Bevacqua — Notre Dame athletic director
David Blitzer — Blackstone co-head of private equity
Cody Campbell — Texas Tech University System Board of Regents chairman; Matador Club co-founder
Jay Clayton — U.S. attorney
Ron DeSantis — Governor of Florida
Boris Epshteyn — Political strategist
Marc Ganis — SportsCorp president
Gerry Cardinale / Rob Klein — RedBird Capital
John Donahoe — Stanford athletic director
Randy Levine — New York Yankees president
Tim Pernetti — AAC commissioner
Jim Phillips — ACC commissioner
Tony Petitti — Big Ten commissioner
Steve Ross — Miami Dolphins owner
Adam Silver — NBA commissioner
Jack Swarbrick — Former Notre Dame athletic director
Brett Yormark — Big 12 commissioner
Greg Sankey — SEC commissioner

Media Committee

David Blitzer — Blackstone co-head of private equity
Gerry Cardinale — RedBird Capital founder and managing partner
Cody Campbell — Texas Tech University System Board of Regents chairman; Matador Club co-founder
Jay Clayton — U.S. attorney
Boris Epshteyn — Political strategist
Marc Ganis — SportsCorp president
Jim Phillips — ACC commissioner
Tim Pernetti — AAC commissioner
Tony Petitti — Big Ten commissioner
Pete Bevacqua — Notre Dame athletic director
Greg Sankey — SEC commissioner
James Pitaro — ESPN chairman
Eric Shanks — Fox Sports CEO
Brett Yormark — Big 12 commissioner