Colorado Athletic Director Explains How Groundbreaking House Settlement Will Impact Buffs

The college athletics landscape changed dramatically on Friday as United States District Judge Claudia Wilken approved a house settlement that will permit universities to directly compensate student-athletes for their name, image and likeness (NIL) rights beginning July 1.

To assumedly promote some level of fairness, total student-athlete compensation is capped at $20.5 million per school. In a letter to Buff Nation, University of Colorado athletic director Rick George said his department plans to utilize the entire $20.5 million to "remain competitive" in recruiting student-athletes to CU. George also said Colorado will implement a "revenue-share budget that is proportional to the revenue that sport generates," meaning football and men's basketball student-athletes will be paid more than their non-revenue counterparts.

Student-athletes can continue to earn NIL money through business partnerships, although deals will now be reviewed by a national clearinghouse.

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Rick George with safety Shilo Sanders (21) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"For the first time ever, we will be able to share our revenue with student-athletes for their name, image and likeness rights to a cap of $20.5 million," George said in a video posted to X. "In the next month, we'll also be announcing some exciting new opportunities for student-athletes' NIL engagement. This will be an incredible opportunity for businesses to work directly with student-athletes to enhance their brand."

George noted in the letter that local businesses are "crucial for the long term success of our programs," and he called on those decision-makers to engage in NIL deals with CU student-athletes.

Similar to the initial round of NIL freedoms that passed in 2021, George believes Friday's settlement will spark a flurry of new opportunities for CU student-athletes and the Boulder community.

"This new era of college athletics will bring challenges, but it will also bring opportunities for Buff Nation to be involved like never before," George said.

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The House settlement has passed, marking a new era of college athletics.

Beginning July 1, the University of Colorado will participate in revenue sharing with all of our student-athletes up to the prescribed cap utilizing Athletic Department funds.

ℹ️ »… pic.twitter.com/F7uIw0qxOp
— Colorado Buffaloes (@CUBuffs) June 7, 2025

Since being named the Colorado Buffaloes' head football coach in 2022, Deion Sanders has made his thoughts on NIL well-known. Most notably, "Coach Prime" believes helping his players reach the NFL is far more valuable than any amount of NIL money earned in college.

“When kids come to play for me at Colorado, they come to play for me and the coaching staff that we’ve assembled,” Sanders said on ESPN's "First Take" in February. “They hadn’t come to play for money because I let them know that will maintain you. That pro contract is going to sustain you. So we’re chasing that thing.”

While he recognizes its importance in staying competitive, Colorado men's basketball coach Tad Boyle has also shared some mixed opinions on NIL and its impact on the college landscape.

“You have to change. You have to adapt,” Boyle said in March. “If you’re not willing to adapt and change, this business will eat you up. As I look at my 30-plus-year career now as a Division I basketball coach, there's been a lot of changes."