The House/Hubbard/Carter v NCAA settlement has raised concerns among many that colleges and universities could soon pay athletes directly, particularly in revenue-generating sports, through NIL and revenue-sharing arrangements with the majority of these payments going to football and basketball players. These payments are poised to nearly double due to Title IX gender equity obligations, and they would come on top of existing scholarships tethered to education. Historically, when basketball and football costs rise, other sports, particularly Olympic and non-revenue sports, often face budget cuts or program elimination. Our panelists will confront these possible developments.
How can the U.S. continue to excel on the international sports stage and uphold its reputation as a sporting nation? What measures can be taken to preserve the status as a leader in global sports? Are there other elite sport development models that can be utilized outside the educational space? Can college sports still be a part of the solution? Should government, professional leagues, or national sport governing bodies have a greater responsibility to assist? We are the only country in the world that has elite sport embedded in its educational system. Can the predicted potential upheaval from NIL and revenue sharing be a positive catalyst to change American elite sport development?