The $20.5 million question

As the revenue-sharing era begins, Nebraska—and the rest of college athletics—navigates the unknown.

Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics

In college athletics, July 1 has always been a notable date.

It’s New Year’s Day, you might call it. It’s the date new coaching contracts begin, realignment moves go official and the start of the month when things like media days and more return. For Nebraska, it marks the anniversary of joining the Big Ten in 2011.

But this July 1? Not to be dramatic, but this July 1 is seismic.

Today, the House v. NCAA settlement goes into effect. It’s no longer a “what if.” It’s real, it’s active and it formally begins the era of revenue sharing in college sports.

For the first time, schools can pay athletes directly—up to approximately $20.5 million per year—through an opt-in system that functions in parallel with scholarships and benefits already in place. That number represents about 22% of a school’s annual athletic revenue and will increase annually by 4%.

It’s a shift programs will have to figure out in real time.