Revenue Sharing and NIL: A New Game Begins
First announced in May 2024, the settlement paves the way for athletes to begin receiving a cut of the billions generated by college sports—primarily from media rights tied to football and basketball—starting in the 2025-26 academic year. It also retroactively reimburses players for withheld name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation, ending a bitter struggle over rights many believed were long overdue.
The case was led by Grant House, a former swimmer at Arizona State University, and Sedona Prince, a basketball player who wrapped up her college career at Texas Christian University. Their names are now etched into legal and athletic history.
Tensions Over Roster Limits and Opt-Out Rights
The road to final approval wasn’t without turbulence. After the April 7 hearing in Oakland, Judge Wilken demanded revisions addressing objections from athletes and advocates. Chief among their concerns: new roster limits that could sideline players and an opt-out framework that they argued left future athletes vulnerable.
Despite revised proposals submitted on May 7—including exemptions for displaced athletes—many objectors remained unconvinced that the terms truly fixed the problem. Still, the judge deemed the revised settlement “fair, reasonable, and adequate.”
