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College Athletes Earned $1.77B from Schools in 2025-26, Additional $500M+ in NIL Contracts
Developing
In Short: The NCAA and College Sports Commission announced Thursday that athletes at 307 schools across 33 conferences received more than $1.77 billion in revenue-sharing payments during the 2025-26 season.
These payments were distributed to 34,915 athletes across 45 sports, marking a significant milestone in the direct compensation of college athletes.
The revenue-sharing program was approved last June through the House and NCAA settlement, allowing schools to pay athletes directly starting with the 2025-26 season.
Schools were capped at $20.5 million in direct payments, which could be used in any way approved by administrators.
In addition to the revenue-sharing payments, the settlement also approved a total of $2.8 billion in compensation over 10 years for past NCAA athletes who were unable to receive compensation for their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Earlier this week, the Senate passed the 'Protect College Sports Act,' which would double the revenue-sharing cap to about $48 million per year, further enhancing the financial support for college athletes.
What this adds
The revenue-sharing program represents a major shift in how college athletes are compensated, moving away from the traditional model where athletes received no direct financial benefits from their performance.
What's still developing
- The first year of revenue sharing in college sports resulted in massive payouts for athletes.
Sources
- Bleacher Reportlink