NCAA D I Board approves House settlement-related rule changes

The D1 Board of Directors on Monday conditionally approved more than 150 rules to be eliminated to allow for schools to provide additional benefits to student-athletes under the settlement.

This is just the first step in the implementation, and if final approval is granted, the changes adopted will permit schools to provide direct financial payments to athletes, including NIL compensation.

The board took action to make adjustments to roster limits and eliminated sport-by-sport scholarship maximums. They also modified the rules for schools who opt in to the settlement to offer up to $20.5 million in direct financial payments to students.

The Board also approved new policies consistent with the settlement, including creating a technology platform for schools to monitor their payments and for athletes to report their third-party NIL deals. It also created an enforcement group that would provide oversight for rules relating to the terms of the settlement, including third-party NIL and the annual benefit cap.

An interesting aspect of the meeting was the discussion of conference membership requirements, including possible options that would provide greater temporary flexibility for schools to move between conferences as the Association proceeds with changes related to the House settlement. No action was taken, but they did make it clear that the goal was to maintain flexibility and stability in D1 athletics throughout the implementation.

Tennessee Football says “Thanks but no thanks”

When star quarterback Nico Iameleava decided to hold out for more NIL money and skip practice to try to force the Volunteers to pony up more cash, he found out quickly this is not the NFL.

In the NFL there is clear, defined terms on what a player can do to try to negotiate a contract. These are set in the collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the players. No such agreement exists in college football. The House settlement may have introduced revenue sharing into the equation, but its every man for himself when it comes to negotiating NIL deals.

Iameleava announced he was transferring to UCLA, and based on some reports, he will make less money at UCLA than at Tennessee. With that move, UCLA QB Joey Aguilar transferred to Tennessee, effectively creating what may be the first “trade” in college football history.

Podcast Review

NILOSOPHY with Deja Kelly

College basketball star Deja Kelly hosts NILOSOPHY, offering an inside look at the world of NIL from the perspective of the athletes and executives navigating this quickly evolving landscape.

In this episode, Deja talks to Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin about the portal, recruiting, and negotiating NIL values with potential players. Tons of great information for any athlete trying to understand their “market value”.

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Proactive Online Reputation Management

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