The NCAA announced a series of sweeping rules changes on Monday that would go into effect if the multibillion-dollar House lawsuit settlement is approved. Notably, the changes would allow schools to pay athletes, which significantly changes decades of precedent.
The governing body of college sports approved nine proposals that would eliminate more than 150 rules to clear paths for colleges to make direct financial payments to players, including for NIL use.
Power 4 schools and others that opt in would be allowed to offer settlement-based benefits of up to $20.5 million directly to athletes for the upcoming school year. The legislative changes maintain a student-athlete’s ability to use agents for NIL activities.
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The rules also end scholarship limits for teams, albeit with potential roster limits based on the settlement. The NCAA said this would double the number of scholarships available to women’s programs. Under current rules, schools must adhere to a scholarship limit in each sport, but there are no roster limits. There are spots for walk-ons and partial scholarship recipients, all of whom can later qualify for aid.
Further rules changes include the following:
– Setting up a clearinghouse for all name, image and likeness (NIL) deals that come from third parties and are worth $600 or more.
– Granting authority to an enforcement body being developed by the conferences named as defendants in the lawsuit to enforce the new rules passed to implement terms of the settlement. This includes compliance with roster limits, payment of direct benefits to players and meeting requirements for the third-party deals.
Not every college outside the Power 4 will opt in, as schools have until June 15 to do so. The changes can go into effect by July 1.
The settlement would provide $2.8 billion in damages for athletes denied compensation for their name, image and likeness. Additionally, the settlement would mandate Power 4 schools to provide athletes up to 22% of their average athletic revenues each year for the next decade. The pool starts at the $20.5 million and grow to $32.9 million per school in 2034-35.
Overall, the plan would backpay $2.78 billion in damages to athletes who played sports between 2016 and 2024 and were not entitled to the full benefits of NIL at the time they attended schools.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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