The order aims to ban "pay-for-play" NIL deals, mandates scholarships for women's and Olympic sports and threatens to withhold funds from schools who don't comply. But its legality is in question.

Any policies that come from an executive order can either be challenged in court and reversed by the next administration, which means college sports continues to operate under a blanket of uncertainty when it comes to defining the relationship between schools and athletes. That’s exactly what college sports leaders are trying to stop.

The president directs federal agencies to clarify whether athletes are employees, protect Olympic and women’s sports, and address athlete compensation rules.