NCAA settlement could reshape college sports landscape

Hoffmann warned of a “huge trickle-down effect” in lower divisions, potentially destroying opportunities for thousands of students to play college sports. “It is truly the death of the ‘student-athlete’ and it could destroy opportunities for thousands of students to play college sports,” he said, emphasizing the far-reaching effects of prioritizing money over education.LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Major changes could be on the horizon for college sports as the NCAA and several major conferences have agreed to a proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit, brought by former players, sought damages for lost name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities due to previous NCAA restrictions. As part of the settlement, former student-athletes are set to receive over billion in damages.Attorney Matt Hoffmann from Battle Born Injury Lawyers explained the origins of the lawsuit, stating, “In 2021, the NCAA changed its long-standing rule that forbade student-athletes from receiving compensation for their name, image, and likeness.” This change followed a class-action lawsuit led by former UCLA player Ed O’Bannon, which argued that the NCAA’s restrictions on NIL compensation violated antitrust laws. The case was affirmed by the 9th Circuit in 2016, leading to state laws that prevented the NCAA from disqualifying athletes for receiving NIL money.”The biggest loser in all this are walk-on athletes,” Hoffmann said. The NCAA’s proposal to cap roster sizes means that many walk-on athletes may have to quit or transfer. For example, football programs with average roster sizes of 130 players will now face a hard cap of 105, affecting dozens of athletes per school.The House lawsuit, brought by a former collegiate swimmer and other athletes, argued that those prevented from receiving NIL compensation between 2016 and 2021 should be compensated for lost opportunities.The settlement also opens the door for college programs to engage in revenue-sharing with student-athletes. However, this development comes with new roster limits, which increase the number of athletic scholarships while imposing a hard cap on roster sizes.Hoffmann expressed concerns about the proposed settlement’s impact, saying, “It is a disaster, honestly.” He noted that while the agreement allows colleges to share around million in annual revenue with student-athletes, it poses challenges for smaller programs. Schools are already considering increased ticket prices, concession prices, and athletic fees to participate in the new revenue-sharing model.