John,

Let’s be real: college sports wouldn’t be what they are without Black athletes.

Black student-athletes make up the majority of the most lucrative NCAA sports. In men’s basketball 44% of participants are Black, with a total of 8,393 student-athletes. In football, 40% of participants are Black, totaling 32,184 student-athletes — the highest number across all sports.

Mind you, these programs bring in BILLIONS in revenue every year.

And for decades, Black athletes were denied the right to earn anything from their own name, image, or likeness.

But finally in 2021, after a major Supreme Court ruling, student-athletes finally won the right to earn income through sponsorships, endorsements, and even direct payments from their schools.

But now, Trump wants to take that power back.

Not on our watch. Add your name to join us in the fight to protect Black athletes.

In July, he issued an executive order called “SAVING COLLEGE SPORTS.” 🙄 Don’t be fooled by the name. It is an attack on player rights. The order includes:

A call to limit how athletes are paid, capping their income to so-called “fair market value”
A push to block student-athletes from being recognized as employees, cutting off any pathways to collective bargaining
Protections for the NCAA from future lawsuits from athletes that might challenge these restrictions

None of this protects athletes. It protects institutions that have long profited from the labor of young Black players while denying them basic financial and legal rights.

Let’s be real: Black Play Matters. It matters on the court and on the field. It matters in the economy. It matters in the fight for justice.

We refuse to let billion-dollar systems continue to exploit Black talent while rolling back the small gains we’ve made toward equity.

That’s why we’re demanding:

Federal NIL Legislation
- We need fair, national rules that protect athletes from exploitation, not watered-down regulations that serve the NCAA.
Financial Literacy Programs
- Athletes deserve the tools to turn NIL income into long-term wealth, not just one-time deals.
Legal Oversight and Accountability
- No more shady contracts. No more loopholes. No more executive orders that silence student-athletes and shield power structures.

The Trump executive order doesn’t just threaten a policy. It threatens progress. That’s why we need your voice now more than ever.

Add your name if you believe Black athletes deserve protection, pay, and power.

ADD YOUR NAME

In solidarity,

Team Black Play Matters

Our grassroots movement is pushing for Black liberation every single day. We are striving to create a world where Black people do so much more than just survive. It’s time we thrive.

As an organization one of our biggest hurdles is consistency.

A recurring contribution of anything you can afford goes a long way as we plan for the months, years, and even decades ahead. This is the most effective way for small-dollar donors (like you) to power our Black liberation work.

Will you make a recurring contribution of $5 or more today so that we can keep building momentum for our movement?

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