Overview

• The $2.8 billion settlement approved in June ends three antitrust suits and allows colleges to directly pay athletes for name, image and likeness beginning July 1, 2025.
• Revenue sharing is capped at $20.5 million per school in the first year and will be overseen by a College Sports Commission and Deloitte’s NIL Go to ensure fair market value.
• On June 11, eight former female athletes filed a Title IX appeal arguing that the back-pay allocation disproportionately favors football and men’s basketball players.
• The appeal bars distribution of nearly $2.8 billion in back damages to past athletes until the Ninth Circuit decides, while new compensation for current players remains unaffected.
• Smaller schools and nonrevenue sports face potential program cuts and financial strain as power conferences leverage larger media deals and private equity to fund athlete payments.