College Sports’ Billion-Dollar Turn: What the House v. NCAA Settlement Means for Student-Athletes and Compliance Officers, Published in the Sports Litigation Alert

In an article published on 7/25 in the Sports Litigation Alert, Segal McCambridge Associate Ryan Musleh examines the court’s decision in House v. NCAA, terms of the settlement agreement, and what it means for student-athletes and compliance officers. The monumental shift for college sports with this lawsuit fundamentally changes the structure of “student-athletes’” operational, financial, and legal rights.

“Every school participating in the settlement must decide whether to engage in the new revenue-sharing model,” Musleh emphasizes. “Those that do will need to account for budget realignments, Title IX compliance, and enhanced reporting standards.”

Musleh outlines the changes to back pay for previously denied Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights; direct payments from schools to student-athletes and how a yearly “Pool” that functions like a salary cap will affect Division I athletic departments; and the lifting of NCAA scholarship caps. Compliance officers must also continue to be mindful of “associated entity” restrictions that remain post-settlement; changes to unaffiliated third-party deals; new roster limits; Title IX compliance risks; and mandatory arbitration and reinstatement considerations.

“Many of the Settlement Agreement’s provisions require clarification,” Musleh notes. “The mandatory arbitration process, which includes a requirement that the arbitrator issue a written opinion, will gradually rectify ambiguities.”

Read the article in full, click here.