The landscape of college athletics in the NIL era continues to evolve, with news that the NCAA and five power conferences - ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 - have agreed to allow schools to directly compensate student-athletes for the first time ever.
The speculation across the industry is that the NCAA and conferences have agreed on a revenue-sharing plan to allow each university to share up to $22 million per year with its student-athletes. This will likely go into effect in Fall of 2025.
Additionally, the parties are moving forward with a multibillion-dollar agreement - around $2.7 billion in damages over 10 years to past and current athletes - to settle three pending federal antitrust cases.
The NCAA and its leagues are moving forward with a multibillion-dollar settlement agreement that will allow schools to directly pay players for the first time in the history of college sports. https://t.co/XaVgW9306B
— ESPN (@espn) May 24, 2024
NCAA president Charlie Baker and the five power conference commissioners said in a joint statement: "The five autonomy conferences and the NCAA agreeing to settlement terms is an important step in the continuing reform of college sports that will provide benefits to student-athletes and provide clarity in college athletics across all divisions for years to come."
All Division I athletes dating back to 2016 are eligible to receive a share as part of the settlement class. If they do so, they cannot sue the NCAA for other potential antitrust violations.
"This settlement is also a road map for college sports leaders and Congress to ensure this uniquely American institution can continue to provide unmatched opportunity for millions of students,” Baker and the five power conference commissioners continued. “All of Division I made today's progress possible, and we all have work to do to implement the terms of the agreement as the legal process continues. We look forward to working with our various student-athlete leadership groups to write the next chapter of college sports."
College sports overall has certainly changed for good and we at The NIL Store powered by Campus Ink are excited about what this next chapter means and are here to support student-athletes.
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