What’s Changing?
A few of the main things are:
- Schools are now able to share revenue directly with student-athletes.
- While there are roster limits for each sport, there are no longer scholarship limits.
- Student-athletes can still benefit from NIL deals, but all deals will need to be evaluated through a clearinghouse called NIL Go overseen by the College Sports Commission.
When will these changes be implemented?
Very soon! July 1, 2025.
What’s the difference between revenue share money and NIL money?
Revenue share money that gets paid to student-athletes comes directly from BYU Athletics and is generated from internal revenue streams like ticket sales, media rights and corporate sponsorships. NIL money gets paid to student-athletes directly from external businesses, after the NIL deal has been approved by the College Sports Commission.
How much money can be paid out to student-athletes from the schools?
There is a cap of up to $20.5 million that can be disbursed at the school’s discretion to student-athletes throughout the athletic department. This is direct compensation in addition to student-athletes’ athletic scholarships, NIL earnings, and other educational benefits.
How is NIL different now?
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals can still be a massive benefit for student-athletes. The biggest difference moving forward will be the regulation of NIL deals, making sure that they are fair and fall into an appropriate range of compensation, based on the value the student-athlete can provide and the services that are being provided.
How do the scholarship changes work?
With NCAA scholarship limits removed, schools have the flexibility to provide more scholarships to more student-athletes beyond the previous limits. Roster limits are still governed by the NCAA.
How can Cougar Nation help?
Keep being the greatest fan base in the world. Keep showing up. Keep supporting. We need you all now, more than ever. If you are in a position to donate to the Cougar Club, we need you. If you own a business and want to execute an NIL deal with a student-athlete, we need you. If you can help our student-athletes build their own brands simply by following and engaging with them on social media, we need you.
The $20.5 million that schools can be distributing is a significant new cost. The NCAA does not provide additional funds to schools for these purposes. We will be working diligently to find new revenue streams and evaluating current operations to help fund that.
Stay tuned for more information about how you can get more involved in helping fuel BYU Athletics’ commitment to excellence.
In this new era, as we stay true to our unique mission, do things the right way and embrace the opportunities ahead, BYU will continue to pursue competitive excellence, attract the right student-athletes and help them thrive—preparing them to go forth to serve and make a meaningful impact in the world.