FAMU Basketball Coach Charlie Ward Represents HBCUs at White House 'Saving College Sports' Roundtable

Florida A&M University (FAMU) men's basketball head coach Charlie Ward recently made history as the only HBCU representative invited to participate in a high-profile White House roundtable focused on the future of college athletics and the evolving landscape of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals.

The roundtable, titled "Saving College Sports," convened more than 50 participants including politicians, school representatives, and sports officials to address concerns about NIL agreements and their impact on collegiate athletics. Ward's presence at the table underscored the importance of ensuring HBCU voices are heard in conversations that will shape the future of college sports across all institutions.

Ward, a former New York Knicks point guard and the first and only athlete to win a Heisman Trophy (in 1993 as college football's best player) who went on to play in the NBA, shared his insights following the meeting during an appearance on Fox & Friends.

"It was amazing to be in the room with a lot of heavy hitters in the sports industry. Sometimes you just want to be a fly on the wall — and I definitely was.



There was a real sense of urgency to get something done for the future of college sports, particularly when it comes to governance, NIL, rev share, and the transfer portal."

The FAMU coach emphasized the distinction between authentic NIL opportunities and revenue sharing arrangements, pointing to examples of high-profile athletes securing legitimate marketing partnerships.

"First, we've got to decipher that NIL and revenue share are totally different. True NIL is what we see when athletes like Arch Manning do commercials or partner with national brands — that's legitimate marketing value. Some players also make money through social media deals, and that's another form of NIL. But it's only a small segment of athletes who are involved at that level."

Advocating for HBCU Competitiveness

Ward used his platform at the roundtable to advocate for a system that would benefit smaller institutions like FAMU, proposing a professional sports-style approach to revenue distribution that could level the playing field between HBCUs and larger, better-resourced programs.

"I've always said, if you cap the rev share, it's just like the NBA or the NFL. You have a luxury tax. If a school goes over the amount, then put it in a fund. Being from Florida A&M, a smaller university in Division I, I say let that money trickle down to us."

President Trump indicated during the roundtable that he would sign an executive order within one week addressing NIL agreements, stating that federal legislation is needed to restore order in college athletics regarding student compensation. The President acknowledged that any executive action would likely face legal challenges.

Ward's participation in this critical discussion represents an important step toward ensuring that HBCUs have a voice in shaping policies that will affect student-athletes across all institutions. His advocacy for revenue-sharing structures that support smaller schools could have significant implications for FAMU and other HBCUs competing to recruit top talent in an increasingly complex collegiate athletics landscape.

Originally reported by Black Enterprise.