Summary
The settlement comes out to nearly $2.8 billion in damages over the next 10 years. The NCAA will take on 40% of the total cost, with 60% coming from withheld distributions. The financial hit for athletic departments, especially among power conferences, will be exorbitant.
Programs wasted nearly $200 million on coaching buyouts alone during the 2023 season. The focus on facilities has lessened as name, image and likeness (NIL) payments take focus. Some athletic departments may have to make difficult decisions to deal with budget shortfalls.
NCAA will have to set ground rules on how money is divided. The details could radically impact how effective the practice is over the next several years. The NCAA is optimistic that the settlement will reinforce NIL guardrails, which have been gutted after numerous court losses.
House v. NCAA will still be a historic settlement addressing some of the biggest underlying questions of college football. Most significantly, it permanently alters the relationship between athletes and universities by finalizing direct payment for athletic participation. College sports will never be the same. Even reinstating enforcement power for the NCAA on NIL issues would not signal the end of NCAA complications.
