• Loading stock data...
Friday, July 11, 2025

Landmark House Settlement to Pay College Athletes Gets Preliminary Approval From Judge

  • The settlement had previously faced roadblocks after the judge did not grant preliminary approval Sept. 5.
  • Athletes now have until Jan. 31, 2025, to opt out of the settlement or submit objections.
The NCAA logo on a football field
The Anderson Independent Mail

The House v. NCAA settlement just got one step closer to final approval.

On Monday, Northern District of California Judge Claudia Wilken granted preliminary approval to the proposed settlement in the House v. NCAA case—a landmark deal that could completely change the athlete compensation landscape.

Starting two weeks from now, the administrators of the settlement will have to start notifying class members of the terms of the deal through multiple means, including written postcards and by setting up a website. Athletes will have until Jan. 31, 2025, to opt out of the terms, or lodge a formal objection. The hearing for final approval, called a “Fairness Hearing,” is currently scheduled for April 7, 2025—the same day as the NCAA Division I men’s basketball title game. If approved, the settlement could take effect as early as the 2025–2026 school year.

The case was first filed in 2020 by a group of Division I athletes arguing that athletes deserved damage payments for not being able to earn NIL (name, image, and likeness) money, and that the definition of NIL should be expanded to include things like broadcast revenue. The NCAA and then–Power 5 conferences were named as defendants.

The settlement, which also includes cases Hubbard v. NCAA and Carter v. NCAA, requires the NCAA and Power 5 conferences to pay $2.8 billion in back damages to athletes who couldn’t earn NIL money before 2021. It also allows schools to share revenue with athletes for the first time in NCAA history—up to a cap that will begin at about $22 million per school per year. 

But the settlement also grants new powers to the NCAA to restrict athlete compensation: Athletes would have to submit any NIL deal with a booster or NIL collective over $600 for approval by a third party. If that deal is seen as “pay-for-play” rather than “fair-market value,” the deal could be denied. 

The restriction was one of the main issues Judge Wilken raised during a lengthy hearing Sept. 5., which ultimately ended without granting preliminary approval. On Sept. 26, the parties submitted an amended complaint with very few changes. The new settlement proposal did, however, confine the NIL restrictions to booster or NIL collective-led deals; it was originally supposed to be a requirement for all deals. The amended complaint was supplemented by a brief that explained these deals would be prohibited by the NCAA’s rules anyway. 

That appears to have been enough for Judge Wilken, but it may not be enough for athletes and a web of advocacy groups. The number of athletes needed to opt out of the settlement to trigger a rejection has been redacted from court documents.

Since the amended complaint was filed, however, one group of athletes—led by the attorneys in the landmark O’Bannon v. NCAA case—has already filed a grievance. An advocacy group called the National College Players Association, led by former former UCLA football player Ramogi Huma who was also heavily involved in O’Bannon, has said it intends to put together another group of objectors. Wilken herself heard the O’Bannon case a decade ago.

For now, however, the settlement’s preliminary approval is a major win for the NCAA and conferences, who hoped to avoid a costly trial in a case where they could end up paying much more than just $2.8 billion in damages. The NCAA, ultimately, hopes Congress will codify a version of the final settlement, and add provisions that will restrict athletes from being deemed employees or win the ability to collectively bargain.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NFL

30 NFL Second-Rounders Still Unsigned With Camps Set to Open

Saturday is the earliest rookie report date for training camp.
Alex Rodriguez

Finally in Charge, A-Rod Says Timberwolves Need New Arena

Rodriguez and Lore would like to repair team relations with Kevin Garnett.
Cobh Ramblers
exclusive

Ireland’s Ramblers Latest Soccer Club to Gain U.S. Owner

The Ramblers play in the League of Ireland First Division.

Featured Today

Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
July 6, 2025

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.

NCAA: March Madness Expansion to 76 Teams ‘Still Viable’ for 2026

Negotiations continue with media rights holder CBS and TNT Sports.
July 10, 2025

Deion Sanders Rips ‘Bulljunk’ in CFB, Calls for NFL-Style Salary Cap

Coach Prime is frustrated with the new revenue-sharing era.
The Florida State Seminoles hosted the Florida Gators at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.
July 10, 2025

Athletic Departments Express Renewed Interest in PE in Wake of House Settlement

Schools now have more expenses—and are looking for creative solutions.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard KK Arnold (2)1 dribbles against UCLA Bruins forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the third quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena.
July 10, 2025

‘Kind of a Joke’: Frustrations Mount As New NIL Deal Approval Process..

Delays have already led to athletes losing NIL opportunities.
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Head coaches Willie Fritz of Houston, Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Rich Rodriguez of West Virginia, Lance Leipold of Kansas, Sonny Dykes of TCU, Kyle Whittingham of Utah, Brent Brennan of Arizona and Deion Sanders of Colorado all sit on stage for a Coaches Roundtable during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.
July 9, 2025

Big 12 Commish: Conference Is ‘All In’ on International Expansion

The conference had once planned a large initiative in Mexico.
Sebastian Rivera (R) tf. Danny Coles 6:47 (20-3). Rutgers University Wrestling vs Princeton in Piscataway, NJ on February 18, 2022.
July 9, 2025

The House Settlement Is Being Appealed. It Won’t Stop Revenue-Sharing—for Now

The settlement’s approval on June 6 triggered an appeals process.
July 9, 2025

Big Ten, Big 12 Commissioners Remain Far Apart on CFP’s Future

A decision on expansion must be made by December.