Belmont Braces for New NIL Era After Landmark NCAA Settlement

Belmont Vision Multimedia, Zach Watkins

For months, the future of name, image and likeness in college sports rested in the hands of Judge Claudia Wilken’s approval of the House V. NCAA Settlement.

On Friday, Wilken approved the multi-billion dollar settlement, effectively changing amateurism in college sports.

Division I programs that opt into the settlement terms are now allowed to directly pay athletes via a revenue-sharing pool valued at $20.5 million starting July 1.

The settlement also allows current and former Division I athletes who competed since 2016 to receive nearly $2.8 billion in back-pay damages from the NCAA. But most of that money is expected to go to power conference football and men’s basketball players, the two highest-grossing college sports.

Now mid-major Belmont, which competes in the Missouri Valley Conference, will have to find new ways to compete in this era of NIL.

Every school is attempting to find ways to fund its athletic department.

The University of Tennessee raised its ticket prices, which it called a “talent fee.”

Other schools are running fundraising campaigns.

Most are slashing budgets, hoping to find any sliver of money that could be used towards the $20.5 million.

But Belmont is ready for whatever NIL roadblocks come its way, President Greg Jones said in a social media post.

“Approval of the House Settlement is a seminal moment in the history of college athletics. However, it underscores a range of complexities. Belmont University is distinctively well-positioned to navigate this season of change,” he said.

“We remain unwavering in our commitment to athletics, as it serves a leading role in amplifying institutional aims. From our nationally-regarded men's and women's basketball programs to our far-reaching academic achievement and community service, we look forward to celebrating Belmont student-athlete successes that lie ahead as an integral feature of Belmont's mission and vision.”

Another facet of the settlement is the creations of the College Sports Commission and NIL Go.

The CSC will serve as the NCAA’s sheriff in the Wild West of NIL, ensuring that schools stay within the $20.5 million cap and doling out punishment to any violators.

NIL Go will become a clearinghouse, where athletes will be forced to submit any NIL deal over $600 for review to determine its legitimacy.

Even with these outside organizations, Belmont Athletic Director Scott Corley said Belmont is confident it can continue its success in college sports.

“Belmont has been preparing for House Settlement approval. Belmont is committed to a first-class student-athlete experience; one where every student-athlete can realize their dreams athletically and academically while growing in their personal faith” he said. “In the coming days, fans will learn more about new entities such as the College Sports Commission and NIL Go. We will grow together. Belmont will be attentive, opportunistic, and proceed with confidence.”

The final part of the settlement that Corley and Jones didn’t address is the new roster limits.

Teams can now freely hand out as many scholarships as they want if they stay within the roster limit. They can also split scholarships among players as well if they want to save money.

For basketball, the number of scholarships available went from 13 to 15.

For baseball, it went from 11.7 to 34.

For softball, it went from 12 to 25.

For volleyball, it went from 12 to 18.

And with a fraction of the budget of power conference schools, mid-major schools will have to find creative ways to compete.

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This article was written by Ty Wellemeyer