White House 'Reforms' Would Codify Inequity in College Sports

Proposed legislation and executive order aim to 'save' college sports but instead would limit athlete earnings and jeopardize smaller programs

Apr. 17, 2026 at 2:07am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cinematic painting of an empty college sports stadium, with warm sunlight casting deep shadows across the empty seats, conveying a sense of melancholy and the fading glory of the system.The proposed 'reforms' to college sports risk further entrenching the NCAA's power and limiting opportunities for student-athletes and smaller programs.New Orleans Today

A recent executive order and the proposed SCORE Act promise to reform college sports, but critics argue the measures would actually cement the NCAA's power, restrict athletes' ability to earn income, and undermine smaller programs like HBCUs and Title IX initiatives. The National Urban League's president and CEO Marc H. Morial says meaningful reforms must ensure equitable revenue sharing, reject antitrust exemptions, provide athlete representation, and directly support less-resourced institutions.

Why it matters

The NCAA has long been criticized for exploiting student-athletes and denying them basic labor protections. Recent court rulings have challenged the NCAA's business model, but the proposed reforms aim to insulate the organization from accountability and cement its control over college sports.

The details

The SCORE Act seeks to grant the NCAA an unprecedented antitrust exemption, which would give the organization sweeping control over college sports while limiting athletes' ability to organize or pursue legal recourse. The act and the executive order also fail to provide meaningful representation for student-athletes or the opportunity to collectively bargain, despite a recent court ruling that student-athletes may be classified as employees.

  • The SCORE Act was introduced in Congress in April 2026.
  • The executive order was signed by the President in April 2026.

The players

Marc H. Morial

The president and CEO of the National Urban League, who is critical of the proposed reforms.

NCAA

The organization that governs college sports, which would be granted an antitrust exemption under the proposed legislation.

Johnson v. NCAA

A 2024 court case that held that student-athletes may be classified as employees, entitled to basic labor protections.

HBCUs

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which could be jeopardized by the proposed reforms.

Title IX

The federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs, including college sports.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Meaningful reforms must ensure equitable revenue sharing, reject unwarranted antitrust exemptions, provide substantive representation and directly support smaller programs and institutions, including Title IX programs and HBCUs.”

— Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League

What’s next

The SCORE Act is currently under consideration in Congress, and the executive order is expected to be implemented in the coming months. The National Urban League has not yet taken a position on the proposed reforms, but has indicated that it is open to thoughtful efforts to strengthen college sports.

The takeaway

The proposed reforms to college sports, while framed as efforts to 'save' the system, appear to be designed to further entrench the NCAA's power and limit the rights and earnings potential of student-athletes. Meaningful change would require addressing the long-standing inequities in college sports, not granting the NCAA additional exemptions and control.