House v. NCAA settlement approved, paving way for revenue sharing

The settlement of House v. NCAA was given final approval by Judge Claudia Wilken on Friday night, allowing colleges to directly pay players via revenue sharing for the first time.

Wilken's stamp of approval was long expected, and the settlement marks the end of the NCAA's previous model of amateurism, in which athletes were not allowed to earn money while in school.

Beginning July 1, schools can share up to $20.5 million of their revenues with their athletes. That cap will increase by at least four percent each year for the next 10 years.

The settlement also allots $2.8 billion in back payments for athletes who missed out on earning opportunities while in school between 2016 and 2024.

The ruling settles three separate antitrust suits brought against the NCAA, most notably by ex-Arizona State swimmer Grant House and women's college basketball player Sedona Prince.

It also builds on the previous legal case that opened the door for athletes to earn money in the first place. The Supreme Court case of NCAA v. Alston, decided nearly four years ago, removed limitations on college athletes making money on their own names, images and likenesses.

So-called NIL deals quickly became cover for boosters to raise money to give star players salaries. NIL does not disappear under the House v. NCAA settlement, although soon an NIL clearinghouse operated by Deloitte will be introduced to scrutinize athletes' deals and determine whether they exceed their fair market value.

--Field Level Media