In the wealthiest country on Earth—where over 24 million Americans are millionaires and 902 billionaires call the U.S. home—college athletes now face a looming financial restriction. Former President Donald J. Trump has floated an executive order that would place a cap on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings, citing concerns about fairness, amateurism, and the integrity of college athletics.
But behind the politics lies something more troubling: a targeted rollback of hard-earned progress for student-athletes—especially those from under-resourced communities, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and non-traditional recruiting pipelines.
NIL didn’t break the system—it cracked open a long-closed door. Now that door is at risk of being slammed shut.
⚖️ NIL: The Latest Battlefield for Economic Opportunity
The NCAA has long profited from the unpaid labor of student-athletes, particularly in football and men’s basketball, which generate the majority of its billions in annual revenue. The 2021 NIL reform finally gave athletes the legal right to earn income from their own identity, talent, and personal brand.
While the system is far from perfect, NIL represents one of the most significant advances in collegiate sports equity in decades.
Trump’s executive order would: Reinforce the pre-2021 status quo of exploitation Strip athletes of financial self-determination Penalize working-class students who rely on NIL for stability
Let’s be clear: most NIL deals aren’t flashy endorsements. They cover rent, transportation, groceries, tuition gaps, and startup capital for small businesses. For many student-athletes, NIL isn’t about fame—it’s about survival.
📊 NIL Disparities Are Real—But It’s Still a Healthy Start
While NIL has opened new doors, early data reveals significant disparities in who benefits most:
White female athletes—particularly in sports like gymnastics and volleyball—lead in total endorsement deals, driven by social media influence and visibility.
Football and men’s basketball players, often from working-class and minority backgrounds, dominate television exposure but lag behind in broader commercial deals.
HBCUs, despite producing top-tier talent, face challenges like smaller alumni networks, limited national media coverage, and fewer big-money partnerships.
NIL, in many ways, functions like DEI in college sports: a policy intended to level the playing field that still reflects existing social inequities.
Despite the imbalance, NIL is still a meaningful step forward—toward economic dignity, brand autonomy, and long-term opportunity for all student-athletes.
Capping it now would not “fix” the system. It would stall necessary progress.
🧱 Forgotten Foundations: Who Built These Campuses?
Across the U.S., more than 180 colleges and universities built before 1863—including every Ivy League school and most southern institutions—were constructed, maintained, or supported by the labor of marginalized workers, including enslaved individuals and low-wage contractors.
Yet for generations, the descendants of those who built these campuses were barred from attending them.
That systemic exclusion birthed the formation of HBCUs like Cheyney University (1837)—schools created not by preference but by necessity.
Today’s NIL opportunities, however modest, represent a long-delayed economic return to students from those very communities. Rolling back NIL would only deepen the historical cycle of contribution without compensation.
📉 Trump’s Track Record: A Pattern of Economic Regression
Trump’s NIL proposal fits a broader policy pattern seen throughout his administration—one where programs supporting vulnerable communities were weakened, while benefits for the ultra-wealthy were expanded.
Program/Agency Impacted Group Policy Action Federal Student Aid Low-income students Borrower protections rolled back Title X Women’s Health Funding restrictions closed numerous clinics ACA Enrollment Working families Outreach budgets cut by 90% SNAP (Food Stamps) Low-income individuals Over 700,000 nearly disqualified HBCU Funding HBCUs Inconsistent and delayed federal support Veterans Affairs Veterans Oversight weakened through privatization efforts LGBTQ+ Protections College students, military service Title IX rollback and transgender military ban enforced
Meanwhile:
The 2017 Tax Cuts slashed the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% Estate tax exemptions were increased, shielding inherited wealth Capital gains loopholes were left untouched PPP loan forgiveness disproportionately helped wealthy businesses and celebrities
While billionaires grew wealthier, many college students—especially those playing full-time sports without full-time pay—were left out of the prosperity narrative.
🗣️ NIL = Voice + Value
We must remember: NIL is not just about money—it’s about voice, value, and visibility.
Through NIL, student-athletes learn:
How to build a brand How to read and negotiate contracts How to manage income How to start businesses and think like entrepreneurs
These are real-world, life-altering skills that extend beyond the court, the track, or the field. For many athletes, NIL is their first experience with personal agency and financial literacy.
Placing a hard cap on these opportunities—especially for those with limited financial support—would do far more harm than good.
🔚 Conclusion: This Isn’t About Sports—It’s About Fairness
Let’s not pretend this is just a technical disagreement over NCAA policy. This is a deeper question about:
Who deserves to benefit from their labor? Who is allowed to build wealth while young? Who we believe is “ready” for success?
If NIL opportunities are only preserved for athletes with elite branding access, generational wealth, or institutional backing, then we haven’t democratized college sports—we’ve just repackaged privilege.
NIL—despite its imperfections—is one of the few tools in modern college sports that offers real, scalable equity. It gives student-athletes from all backgrounds the chance to take ownership of their identity, talent, and future.
Trump’s executive order would reverse that.
“When we say justice, we mean food, housing, health, income, and respect.”
NIL may be a small piece of the puzzle—but it’s a mighty one.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Edmond W. Davis is an award-winning university/college professor, international journalist, social historian, a globally recognized Tuskegee Airmen scholar, and the executive director of the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest. He is the author of several books and a lifelong advocate for student achievement, educational equity, and emotional wellness.
