- University of Utah President Taylor Randall invited to join college sports roundtable discussion at White House.
- The Friday (March 6) event may be postponed because of the ongoing Middle East conflict.
- President Trump has signaled concern for the future of college sports amid historic disruptions.
University of Utah President Taylor Randall is counted among the invitees for a President Donald Trump-sponsored roundtable slated for Friday at the White House.
The gathering was organized to discuss the rapidly evolving college sports landscape — and seek solutions.
Others on the roundtable’s reported guest list include golf’s Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, college coaching legend Nick Saban, and several NCAA conference commissioners.
As of Monday, it was unclear who will ultimately be attending – or if the event will even happen Friday.
The roundtable was organized prior to the ongoing military conflict across the Middle East, so “the odds of it happening this week are 50-50 at best,” reported Yahoo!Sports.
Randall would be attending on behalf of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who was originally invited to join the roundtable.
The governor’s office did not provide a reason for him missing the White House event — but, notably, Friday is the final day of the 2026 Utah Legislative Session.
On his X account on Monday, Cox thanked Trump for the invitation to the roundtable — “and for your commitment to addressing challenges in college sports.”
The governor also called Randall “a great university leader” who will “work with us on solutions for this critical issue.”
Trump is reportedly convening the presidential roundtable on college sports — inviting dozens of key players in the sports world, according to Yahoo!Sports.
But the digital media platform suggested some doubt that the meeting would actually happen Friday amid current global events.
If it takes place, the college sports roundtable is expected to focus on issues ranging from the transfer portal to revenue sharing to enforcement.
The president is serving as roundtable chair, with vice chairs Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and New York Yankees President Randy Levine, Yahoo!Sports reported.
Besides Woods and the other celebrated sports figures, several key college stakeholders have been invited — including Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, Big 10 Commissioner Tony Petitti, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, American Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti, Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez and NCAA President Charlie Baker.
Randall sits on the Big 12 Board of Directors.
Yahoo!Sports noted Trump’s concern over college sports at a moment when NIL (Name, Image & Likeness), athlete transfers, revenue sharing and conference shifts have become the norm.
“You’re going to have these colleges wipe themselves out, and something ought to be done,” Trump has said. “And I’m willing to put the federal government behind it. But if it’s not done fast, you’re going to wipe out colleges. They’re going to get wiped out, including ones that do well in football.
“They can’t pay $12 million, $14 million, $10 million, $6 million for players,” added Trump. “They won’t be able to stop. There’ll always be that one player, they only have that player, they’re going to win the national championship.
“And they’ll have 100 colleges thinking the same thing. Colleges cannot afford to play this game. It’s a very bad thing that’s happening.”
News-making shifts for Ute sports
Randall has proven aggressive in positioning his institution for athletic success amid the disruptions.
Last December, the University of Utah signaled its intention to sign the first private equity deal in college sports.
The first-of-its-kind effort would infuse hundreds of millions of dollars into the school’s athletic programs. The university’s board of trustees unanimously voted to authorize administrators to reach an agreement with Otro Capital.
Under the private equity plan, the University of Utah Foundation would create a for-profit company called Utah Brands & Entertainment. It would be tasked with strengthening the business operations of athletics, enhancing the fan experience and growing revenues, the Deseret News reported.
The foundation would be the majority owner, while Otro Capital, which describes itself as an “operator-led private equity firm with deep expertise” in sports, media and entertainment, would be the minority owner.
The company would run the commercial side, including media rights, ticketing, concessions and merchandise. The athletics department would maintain control over major decisions such as hiring and firing coaches and scheduling.
The company would handle revenue sharing and NIL payments to players, but the university would decide how it’s distributed.