Jonathan Suarez | PantherNOW
Last week, in the landmark case House v. NCAA, a settlement was proposed that would lift restrictions on college athletes being paid. Under the proposed settlement, NCAA member institutions would pay $2.576 billion to current and former college athletes.
This amount includes nearly $1.8 billion allocated to cover previously lost broadcast income for student-athletes.
The move also signals the end of NCAA restrictions preventing current and future athletes from receiving payment directly from their schools.
Specifically, the settlement would permit universities to pay more than $20 million in the 2025-26 academic year, with this figure expected to rise to $32.9 million per institution by the 2034-35 academic year.
However, the settlement leaves several unresolved issues.
Among these is how the settlement might affect the visa status of international student-athletes—a particularly relevant concern for Florida International University, as many of its athletic teams recruit talent globally.
Questions also remain regarding compliance with Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination at universities receiving federal funds. For example, if men’s teams receive millions of dollars in payments, how will universities ensure equal funding opportunities for women’s teams?
Additionally, athletes have already begun the process of unionization. At Dartmouth College, student-athletes have filed an application with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union.
Universities, including FIU, are already considering the potential financial implications of these changes. St. Francis University in Pennsylvania has already transitioned to Division III, partly in anticipation of the increased expenses resulting from this settlement.
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