• US$2.8bn settlement resolves three antitrust cases against governing college sports body
• Division I athletes from 2016 onwards to be financially compensated by NCAA and power conferences
• Power conferences form regulatory body to oversee payments

The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) US$2.8 billion settlement for three antitrust lawsuits has received final approval from a federal judge, paving the way for member schools to directly pay student athletes.

First announced last year, the settlement resolves three cases that claimed the governing college sports body illegally restricted college athletes from earning money through name, image and likeness (NIL) endorsements.

The settlement will also establish a new revenue-sharing model in college sports, with schools able to pay their athletes roughly US$20.5 million in NIL revenue over the 2025/26 campaign. The annual cap is expected to rise annually over ten years and will take effect beginning on 1st July.

The NCAA, alongside its five power conferences, will also pay nearly US$2.8 billion in damages to Division I athletes who competed in college from 2016 onwards. The payments will be made over ten years.

Final approval was granted by Judge Claudia Wilken after changes were made with regards to roster limits, satisfying objections made to the settlement.

“This result is a fantastic win for hundreds of thousands of college athletes,” said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “We look forward to overseeing this process and watching the revenue-sharing benefits unfold for college athletes over the next 10 years.”

“Approving the agreement reached by the NCAA, the defendant conferences and student-athletes in the settlement opens a pathway to begin stabilising college sports,” wrote Charlie Baker, NCAA president, in a public letter. “This new framework that enables schools to provide direct financial benefits to student-athletes and establishes clear and specific rules to regulate third-party NIL agreements marks a huge step forward for college sports.“

The settlement is the culmination of a multi-year process. 

In June 2021, the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in a case, stipulating that the governing college sports body could not stop schools from paying athletes in education-related benefits. The comprehensive defeat left the organisation vulnerable to fresh legal challenges to its rules limiting compensation.

Since then, student-athletes have been able to earn money from third parties and companies through NIL deals. There has also been an increase in the involvement of boosters, which are payments made by collectives using NIL deals to recruit athletes to their favoured school.

Now, schools will be responsible for NIL spending. Last year, a federal judge issued an injunction preventing the NCAA from enforcing rules to stop schools from making NIL payments when recruiting athletes.

To regulate payments from schools and boosters, the power conferences have launched a new regulatory body called the College Sports Commission. It has hired Bryan Seeley, the executive vice president of legal and operations at Major League Baseball (MLB), as its chief executive.

In a statement, the commission said Seeley and his team would ‘build out the organisation’s investigative and enforcement teams and oversee all of its ongoing operations and stakeholder relationships’.

‘Seeley and his team will also be responsible for enforcement of the new rules around revenue sharing, student-athlete third-party name image and likeness (NIL) deals, and roster limits,’ the commission said.

‘The commission will investigate potential rules violations, make factual determinations, issue penalties where appropriate, and participate in the neutral arbitration process set forth in the settlement as necessary.’

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In a groundbreaking shift for college athletics, schools will soon be allowed to pay athletes directly, following a federal judge’s approval of a multibillion-dollar settlement that reshapes the structure of amateur sports. The decision finalizes an agreement between the NCAA, major athletic conferences, and Division I athletes, bringing an end to years of legal battles over compensation.

The approved settlement resolves three antitrust lawsuits that challenged the NCAA’s long-standing restrictions on athlete pay. Under the terms, the NCAA will pay nearly $2.8 billion in back damages over the next decade to athletes who competed from 2016 to the present. Beginning July 1, schools may begin issuing payments to current athletes, with an annual cap starting around $20.5 million per school.

This change builds on the momentum from 2021, when athletes were first permitted to earn money from name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. Unlike NIL compensation, which came from third parties, the new system enables schools to directly pay athletes, marking a significant departure from amateurism standards.

The NCAA and conferences must now rapidly implement the infrastructure for this new model. A new organization—the College Sports Commission—will oversee enforcement, assuming roles previously held by the NCAA’s central office. The commission recently appointed MLB executive Bryan Seeley as its chief executive officer.

Key rules are also being introduced to curb abuses of booster influence. Deals between boosters and athletes will now require a legitimate business justification. Additionally, schools must navigate new roster size regulations, although protections have been added to ensure athletes aren’t removed solely due to the new limits.

While this settlement resolves major disputes, legal uncertainty remains. Questions about whether college athletes should be considered employees are still unsettled, and leaders continue to press Congress for legislative intervention to stabilize the evolving system.

The first institutional payments are set to begin just weeks from now, marking a historic transformation in how college sports are operated.

Source: ESPN

USC’s latest recruiting coup has sent shockwaves through college football: the Trojans landed five-star tight end Mark Bowman, reportedly set to earn up to $10 million in NIL deals.

The staggering figure, more commonly reserved for quarterbacks, has ignited debate—but analysts say USC is investing in more than just a position. They’re paying for a game-changing mismatch.

Why USC Paid $10 Million For A Tight End

When news broke that Bowman, the nation’s top tight end, would be earning between $8 million and $10 million in NIL deals at USC, the reaction was swift and polarized. Critics questioned the wisdom—and fairness—of such an outlay for a non-quarterback, while rival fanbases accused USC of buying its way to the top.

Yet, as analyst J.D. PicKell explained, the investment is about much more than Bowman’s position.

“USC is not paying for a tight end,” PicKell said. “USC is paying for a mismatch in their game plan every single weekend… You’re not thinking about how much you’re paying Mark Bowman when he’s catching a game-winning touchdown against Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship… The mismatch part of it is awesome. That’s what you’re actually paying for.”

Bowman’s rare blend of size, speed, and versatility makes him a nightmare for defenses, precisely the kind of weapon head coach Lincoln Riley has built his offenses around. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 225 pounds, Bowman moves like a receiver but blocks like a lineman, drawing comparisons to NFL-bound stars. In his last season at Mater Dei, he hauled in 32 passes for 435 yards and eight touchdowns, proving his ability to impact both the passing and running game.

USC’s approach is as much about strategy as it is about spectacle. Riley’s offense thrives on creating mismatches, and Bowman’s skill set fits perfectly into a system designed to exploit defensive weaknesses with tempo, motion, and creative personnel packages.

The Trojans aren’t just buying a player—they’re securing a tactical advantage that could define the next era of USC football.

Beyond the Numbers: The New NIL Reality

The Bowman signing emphasizes a massive change in college football recruiting. Even among signings sparked by NIL, financial packages are becoming a central part of the pitch for elite talent.

Though the $10 million number is eye-popping, it’s also emblematic of the market’s new realities. Top programs use their resources and location — USC’s campus in Los Angeles is a big part of the pull — to sell athletes on exposure and the earning potential few schools can offer.

But money wasn’t the only factor in Bowman’s decision. USC’s proximity to his Southern California home, the prestige of playing for a historic program, and the chance to be a focal point in Riley’s high-powered offense weighed heavily. Other bluebloods like Georgia and Texas were in the mix with competitive offers, but USC’s holistic pitch proved decisive on and off the field.

But they have not been without controversy. Others fear that NIL-created recruiting disparities will widen the haves-and-have-nots gap, ruin team chemistry, and chip away at the establishment amateur ethos of sports at the college level.

KEEP READING: ‘It’s a Blessing to Carry That Legacy’: 5-Star Ohio State Commit Chris Henry Jr. Reflects on His Father’s Impact

But as PicKell and others say, this is just the new normal: programs must be aggressive and clever to get the sorts of difference-makers that can change the game.

College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!

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Andrew Brandt and U of L AD Josh Heird were colleagues at Villanova from 2016-19 and bonded over their love of running.Brandt said Heird reached out to him in November after hearing about legal machinations ahead with the House settlement and the implementation of revenue sharing in college sports.Andrew Brandt, former vice president of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, started as a consultant for the University of Louisville Athletic Association (ULAA) in January to help U of L navigate the upcoming era of college sports.

The House vs. NCAA settlement, finally approved by Judge Claudia Wilken on Friday, established a revenue-sharing system whereby schools can directly pay their athletes starting July 1 with a $20.5 million cap per institution. Brandt is charged with helping the Cards negotiate contracts and handle “free agency every year” via the transfer portal. He spoke with The Courier Journal about his new role.

“I’ve really enjoyed it. He’s really got a good team,” Brandt said of working with Louisville athletics director Josh Heird and his department. “I think I told Josh at the beginning, ‘Listen, I’m new with this too. I just have to be up front. You’re not hiring an experienced college sports consultant.’ He understood, and it’s really been a nice partnership so far.”

Brandt said Heird reached out to him in November after sitting in on ACC and general counsel meetings diving into the legal machinations ahead with the House settlement and the implementation of revenue sharing in college sports. They were colleagues at Villanova from 2016-19 (Brandt working as director of the Moorad Center for Sports Law; Heird holding a couple administrative positions in the athletics department) and bonded over their love of running. 

Various schools had previously approached Brandt to talk about general manager positions, considering his NFL background. He worked as vice president of the Green Bay Packers from 1999-2008. In that role Brandt negotiated player contracts, managed the salary cap and handled all football business operations.

But a GM job didn’t interest him. He didn’t want to leave Villanova. Or abandon any of his other projects, like the Sunday Seven newsletter, Business of Sports podcast and his Sports Illustrated column. So a consulting gig with Louisville sounded like the perfect way to marry Brandt’s desire to be involved with college sports and maintain his other responsibilities.

“What (appealed) to me was a way to keep my involvement in sports and advising college sports,” Brandt said.He and Heird came up with the title “Consultant to the University of Louisville Athletic Department.” They officially agreed to a deal in January.Brandt’s current contract with U of L runs from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, according to a document obtained by The Courier Journal. The deal can be renewed at the discretion of both parties but must never exceed 12 months at a time.He will be paid a $150,000 fee for his services distributed in monthly payments of $12,500. Brandt can also be paid up to $15,000 for travel expenses. His compensation will max out at $165,000, and he agreed to indemnify the ULAA against any “costs, liability, expenses (including reasonable attorney fees), damages, and lawsuits whatsoever arising from” his performance. Brandt’s role is that of a consultant, not an employee of the university or athletics department. His job is described in the agreement as “providing expert guidance on contracts and contract negotiations involving student athletes.”The section of the contract describing the services Brand is to provide reads as follows:“Andrew will assist us (the ULAA) in negotiating contracts where student-athletes are paid directly by institutions, a significant change expected to take effect on July 1, pending the settlement approval of the House vs NCAA court case. Given the rapid pace of developments in revenue-sharing models and the transfer portal, his guidance will also support our efforts to address immediate concerns with current and potential transfer students engaging in these discussions.”

How are the Cardinals preparing for July 1? What will revenue-sharing contracts look like?

At Villanova, Brandt has advised athletes on selecting agents, the business of sports and career options in a mentorship capacity rather than working directly with the athletics department. But before that, he helped the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles negotiate contracts.

From his perspective, college sports gain a closer resemblance to professional ranks with each passing day.

“Everything we’re talking about now have been staples of pro sports for 30 years,” Brandt said. “Salary cap, contract negotiations, player rights versus team rights, player discipline, contract clauses about morals, about redshirts, termination. All these kind of things have been staples of what I’ve done in the past.”

But there are some ways in which college athletes have it better than the pros. The main difference: free agency.

In the NFL, players have to wait three, four or more years to become a restricted or unrestricted free agent. In college sports, there’s free agency every year with the transfer portal (or twice a year for football with its December and April windows). 

With that in mind, how do the revenue-sharing contracts Brandt’s helping draw up at Louisville differ from those he negotiated in the NFL?

“They (pro athletes) are under contract for a series of years based on what we negotiate,” Brandt said. “There’s no opportunity to get out of the contract after one year, unless, of course, it’s a one-year deal. You have more rules and regulations, you have more restrictions, you have more things to reference in a collective bargaining agreement about benefits, about protections and trades, all those kinds of things. “We’re not there yet in college sports. But we are there in terms of free agency.”Brandt said learning about free agency in college sports has been a “striking experience.” As a lawyer, though, he understands. The argument lawyers have made and judges have agreed to basically comes down to: If a music or engineering major can transfer every year, why can’t a college athlete? Sure, it can be frustrating for coaches and fans to see players switch teams and have to assemble entire rosters from scratch every season. But until Congress passes some legislation regulating the process or college sports reaches a collective bargaining agreement, that’s just the way things are.Louisville’s templates for revenue sharing contracts are standard for all athletes, though some language differs by sport. When asked whether they’ll include performance incentives like bonuses for winning conference player of the year or averaging certain stats, Brandt said these agreements primarily cover name, image and likeness rights and compensation, but they’re starting to address performance and non-performance as well.While the House settlement’s approval brings some clarity to those in charge of running college sports, there’s still a lot they’ll figure out — just like they had to in the NIL era. Brandt and Louisville will figure it out together.

Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com, and follow her on X @petitus25.