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House vs. NCAA Settlement Explained

Former UC student-athletes are eligible for NIL backpay damages; the deadline to file claims is Jan. 31   

House vs. NCAA Settlement ExplainedHouse vs. NCAA Settlement Explained
As college athletics continues to evolve, with another major shift on the horizon, the University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics aims to inform and prepare its fans and supporters for what lies ahead in the coming months.
 
Judge Claudia Wilken granted preliminary approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement on Oct. 7, 2024. The final approval hearing is scheduled for Apr. 7, 2025.
 
Pending approval of the settlement, the following changes will take place at UC and across college sports:
  • NCAA institutions that opt into the settlement (as a Big 12 institution, UC is mandated to opt in) will be permitted to compensate their own student-athletes directly. According to estimates, the permissive cap imposed by the settlement could be around $20-22 million in the 2025-26 year, meaning any amount up to the cap could be used to compensate student-athletes.
     
  • Former and current student-athletes who began competing in 2016 through Sept. 15, 2024 are eligible for name, image, and likeness (NIL) backpay. Both parties negotiated a settlement to distribute $2.576 billion to eligible student-athletes. Backpay amounts will be determined by a distribution plan designed by the plaintiffs in the case. Institutions will not have a say in backpay amounts. 
     
  • Backpay monies will not be paid to former student-athletes directly from UC but as a part of the NCAA's legal settlement process. UC and all NCAA Division 1 institutions will jointly fund the backpay amounts via reduced revenue distributions from the NCAA, which are not dependent on how many student-athletes from any institution opt in or out of the settlement. 
     
  • To check whether or not they are eligible for backpay, any current or former student-athletes on a roster from Jun. 15, 2016, through Sept. 15, 2024, should visit collegeathletecompensation.com to determine their status.
     
  • The deadline for filing a claim to be part of the settlement is Jan. 31, 2025. 
For any questions, please contact Associate AD for Student-Athlete Management Trever Wright (wright2tr@ucmail.uc.edu). Also, collegeathletecompensation.com features FAQs, court documents, and other helpful resources for current and former student-athletes.