College football could embrace revenue sharing: Insiders
As college football continues to undergo radical change that includes the introduction of NIL and the transfer portal, some major decision makers in the sport could be on the verge of another momentous reform: actually sharing some of their money with the players on the field, according to insiders.
Leaders across college football and other sports are in detailed discussions on a possible settlement to a lawsuit that could prepare the way for sharing revenue with athletes in a prospective business model that would forever change the sport, according to multiple reports.
The antitrust lawsuit that remains ongoing is a complaint that alleges the NCAA and power conferences have conspired to suppress compensation for athletes.
House vs. NCAA argues that the latter is breaking federal law by placing restrictions on how athletes can make money from selling the rights to their name, image, and likeness.
Should the plaintiffs win the case, the NCAA could be forced to pay out up to $4 billion in damages, according to ESPN's calculation, leaving schools scrambling for ways either to prepare their budgets for that payout, or re-organize their entire business model in an effort to help reach a settlement.
Although nothing is anything approaching imminent on that front, there is positive momentum towards such a plan as "progress has ramped up in recent weeks," according to ESPN.
After decades of college football and other sports being a strictly amateur affair, the emergence of several lawsuits, and the introduction of NIL, appears to be moving the sports towards a paid model.
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JAMES PARKS
James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.