House Settlement Filed, Proposes 105 Scholarships and Major NCAA Changes

Jul 26, 2024, 09:08 PM

The House settlement, a significant development in college athletics, was filed on Friday in the Northern District of California. This settlement proposes major changes to NCAA scholarship and roster limits, including an increase in total NCAA Division I scholarships by 150%. The new rules, which could be in place by 2025-26, will expand football rosters to 105 players, all of whom can be on scholarship, up from the current 85. This change is expected to impact walk-on players significantly, as noted by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who expressed concerns about the elimination of walk-ons and potential depth issues. The settlement introduces a new enforcement model to prevent phony NIL deals and includes mechanisms to cap revenue sharing at $25 million, with escalators to push the cap higher. Schools will be allowed to pay up to 22% of their revenue to players, potentially increasing direct athlete support to 51% of Division I revenues. The approval of this settlement by Judge Wilken is a crucial next step, with the potential to reshape the landscape of college sports.