New filings in the House v. NCAA case provide clarifications and minor amendments to the $2.8 billion settlement, addressing concerns raised during the final approval hearing in Oakland. The settlement aims to resolve antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and power conferences, allowing universities to pay college athletes through revenue sharing while maintaining new roster limits set by the agreement.
Judge Claudia Wilken of the Northern District of California will evaluate the brief, objections, and settlement terms before making a final ruling on approval. The contentious issue of roster limits was discussed during the hearing, with concerns raised by current and prospective college athletes about potential impacts on scholarship opportunities and roster spots. The settlement proposes expanding roster sizes to increase scholarships offered by schools, affecting walk-on and partial-scholarship positions in certain sports like FBS football.
The brief explains the benefits of roster limits for college athletics and highlights the settlement's impact on current and future college athletes. Wilken's suggestions for roster spot exemptions were not included in the brief, emphasizing that schools and programs have been adjusting rosters based on the settlement terms since preliminary approval was granted in October. Once Wilken issues a final order on the settlement's approval, schools may begin directly paying athletes through a revenue sharing cap starting on July 1, with an estimated cap of around $20.5 million per school in the first year.