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Division I Launches $20.5M Athlete Revenue-Sharing Era

The College Sports Commission is activating compliance protocols under the revenue-sharing framework, prompting some institutions to defer participation over equity and budget pressures.

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UH athletic director Eddie Nuñez said the Cougars have “a clear direction” of their revenue share plan as NCAA members can directly pay student-athletes beginning Tuesday.
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GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Head coach Billy Napier of the Florida Gators (R) talks with Athletic Director Scott Stricklin before the start of a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Effective July 1, Division I programs may pay athletes directly under a $20.5 million cap for the 2025–26 fiscal year, a structure most Power Five and many mid-major schools have fully embraced.
  • The College Sports Commission, headed by CEO Bryan Seeley, is rolling out compliance systems to enforce roster-size rules, oversee NIL agreements through Deloitte’s clearinghouse and monitor payout caps.
  • Schools must allocate $2.5 million of their cap to fund new scholarships and are expanding rosters across women’s sports to maintain competitive balance under revised Title IX standards.
  • Opt-out institutions—such as Ivy League schools, military academies, Nebraska–Omaha and Montana—are sitting out year one over concerns about budget constraints and gender-equity obligations.
  • Athletic departments are pursuing additional revenue streams—from expanded media rights to boosted fundraising—to sustain the new payout model and cover increased scholarship costs.