Tulane Green Wave Makes Critical NIL Announcement Ahead of House Ruling

The Tulane Green Wave have made a move to ensure that its Name, Image and Likeness efforts have continued oversight.

The Tulane Green Wave is painted on the field of the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. | CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE OKLAHOMAN via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The House vs. NCAA settlement isn’t approved yet, but the Tulane Green Wave announced a move on Thursday in preparation for it.

Ahletic director David Harris announced that the Green Wave Club will assume fundraising responsibility of NIL and pool payment initiatives as of July 1.

The House settlement is allowing many athletic departments to take their name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts in-house to streamline services and fund-raising efforts.

“This responsibility will be in addition to traditional areas such as our annual fund, facility enhancements, student-athlete development and overall departmental needs,” Harris said in the release. “The proposed House settlement allows universities to manage all these operations, including bringing the responsibility for fundraising for NIL/pool payments inside the department.”

The House vs. NCAA settlement is in flux. Judge Claudia Wilken ordered last week ordered the NCAA and the power conference commissioners involved in the settlement to determine ways to grandfather in current student-athletes so that the roster limits, which are part of the settlement, won’t displace thousands of student-athletes who would need to be released for athletic programs to make those limits.

Wilken should hear new arguments next week.

Once approved, schools that opt-into the settlement can share up to $20.5 million in revenue with their student-athletes in the 2025-26 athletic year. Student-athletes can still make money through NIL efforts. But any deals over $600 must be approved by an NIL clearinghouse being set up by the NCAA and the power conferences. That clearinghouse is still being worked on.

Earlier this year, the American Athletic Conference — of which Tulane is a member — required each of its member schools, with the exception of Army and Navy, to share $10 million in additional benefits (revenue share) over the next three years. This means all AAC schools will opt into the settlement and will be subject to the roster limits.

Football programs are allowed to have 105 players. Basketball programs can have 15. Olympic sports rosters will vary. But all scholarships in all sports will be fully funded per the settlement.

As for the Fear the Wave Collective, it isn’t going anywhere. Run by Michael Arata and Jimmy Ordeneaux to support NIL efforts, Fear the Wave will continue to exist.

“Fear the Wave will continue as our partner and as a media company, producing behind-the-scenes content and exclusive fan experiences,” Harris said. “We're excited to continue collaborating with them on special projects that benefit our student-athletes and inspire our community.”