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Florida AD releases statement on President Trump's executive order

On3 imageby: Zach Abolverdi07/25/25ZachAbolverdi
Scott-Stricklin-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin gestures towards the crowd during the National Championship celebration at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday on college athletics, aimed at prohibiting third-party, pay-for-play payments and preserving amateurism, non-revenue sports and women’s sports. Florida Gators athletics director Scott Stricklin issued a statement on Friday endorsing the move.

Stricklin released his comments via the Florida Gators’ official X account.

“The attention President Trump and congressional leaders are giving to the future of college athletics is welcomed and appreciated. Yesterday’s executive order underscores the growing recognition in Washington of the need to modernize the collegiate model while preserving the educational and competitive opportunities it provides to student-athletes nationwide.

“At the University of Florida, we remain committed to supporting our student-athletes in every aspect of their development. We’re encouraged by the White House’s and Congress’s engagement and look forward to working with policymakers, the SEC, and our peers across college sports to shape thoughtful solutions that ensure the long-term strength and sustainability of college athletics.”

The executive order called “Saving College Sports” consists of six sections that include expanding scholarships and roster spots for women’s and non-revenue sports, banning third-party, pay-for-play payments, clarifying that student-athletes are amateurs and not employees, providing legal protections for collegiate athletics from lawsuits and protecting the development of the United States Olympic Team.

The ban on pay-for-play payments but “does not apply to legitimate, fair-market-value compensation that a third party provides to an athlete, such as for a brand endorsement,” according to the White House release on Thursday.

“A national solution is urgently needed to prevent this situation from deteriorating beyond repair and to protect non-revenue sports, including many women’s sports, that comprise the backbone of intercollegiate athletics, drive American superiority at the Olympics and other international competitions, and catalyze hundreds of thousands of student-athletes to fuel American success in myriad ways,” President Trump said in the press release.

“Attempting to create some guardrails and shelter from litigation, colleges have adopted a new regime, deciding to pay athletes directly and simultaneously limit the total number of athletes on their campuses.  Given that the new roster limits, by exceeding the scholarship limits they replace, will increase the potential number of scholarships available in many sports, this opportunity must be utilized to strengthen and expand non-revenue sports.  Simultaneously, the third-party market of pay-for-play inducements must be eliminated before its insatiable demand for resources dries up support for non-revenue sports. Otherwise, a crucial American asset will be lost.”

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