Mitch Barnhart releases statement on House Settlement, UK Athletics shares details on impact
The NCAA’s landmark settlement has been approved, allowing schools to pay student-athletes directly for the first time ever starting July 1. It also means $2.8 billion in NIL backpay will be distributed among players dating back to 2016, along with new roster rules and an enforcement arm that will include a clearinghouse for future NIL agreements.
Struggling to follow the ins and outs of the 76-page opinion released by Judge Claudia Wilken when she signed off on the deal? Trust me, you’re not alone. Thankfully, UK Athletics is here to help — including a message from Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart explaining the program’s stance and what’s to come .
In short, the settlement is a ‘significant step forward’ with a promise from Barnhart to ‘do what it takes to remain competitive.’
“We plan to not only survive but thrive,” he said.
That doesn’t come without obstacles — Barnhart says the new model will ‘add approximately $20 million to $30 million of expenses’ to the annual budget — but the school is creatively cooking up ways to attack those challenges.
Read his full statement below.
“Dear Big Blue Nation,
On Friday, the settlement in the House v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA and Carter v. NCAA cases (collectively, ‘ the House case ‘) was granted final approval by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. This settlement represents a significant step forward for college athletics, providing additional opportunities for student-athletes to benefit from their participation while establishing a framework to maintain competitive integrity—for the sake of student-athletes, institutions and fans alike.
“As we have done many times before, we will embrace this change and rise to the challenge of remaining competitive in a dynamic landscape. UK Athletics is proud to be a premier program, competing for championships in the nation’s best conference. With this new framework, we will continue to do what it takes to remain competitive. We will remain focused on education and competition, putting championship rings on fingers and diplomas in hands. We plan to not only survive but thrive.
“We will rely on our strengths: our innovative legacy, our position in the Southeastern Conference, and the unified support of the University of Kentucky and the best fanbase in America, the Big Blue Nation. These are the cornerstones of our path forward. To meet the demands of this new era, however, all of us will need to adjust how we support college sports.
“The new model introduces revenue sharing with student-athletes and other annual cost increases that will add approximately $20 million to $30 million of expenses to our annual budget, in addition to ongoing costs such as inflation. These expenses, expected to grow annually and be supported by new efforts to generate revenue, will help position us to support our programs and ensure the success of our athletes and teams.
“We are committed to navigating these challenges responsibly, with the desire to maintain our high standards and support our varsity sports. Now that the settlement is approved, the responsibility for its implementation and enforcement falls to the Power Four conferences and the NCAA. To oversee this process, the College Sports Commission has been formed. The Commission will be put in place to facilitate revenue sharing in college sports and ensure that name, image and likeness (NIL) deals made between student-athletes and third parties are fair and comply with the rules.
“We know there is still much to be done between now and when the new framework takes effect July 1. To learn more about the settlement framework and its anticipated impact on UK Athletics operations, please refer to these frequently asked questions . As we move forward, the Big Blue Nation’s continued support remains crucial. Together, we can embrace these changes to elevate Kentucky Athletics to new heights.
“Thank you for your ongoing passion and commitment to the University of Kentucky. Together, let’s continue to support our athletes and help them succeed in everything they do. Go Big Blue!”
Mitch Barnhart
Elsewhere, UK Athletics has also put together a handy list of FAQs for Big Blue Nation to use while asking for total support “to ensure the long-term viability of our athletic programs.”
Among the highlights:
・Participation in revenue sharing is not mandatory, but “Kentucky Athletics intends to fully participate.”
・Revenue distribution will be “finalized in the coming weeks” in terms of specific teams and athletes, but “there will be variability from year-to-year depending on the needs of individual programs and the department as a whole.”
・Kentucky plans to “increase our number of scholarships in almost every sport to maintain our competitiveness” in respective leagues
・Every NIL agreement worth more than $600 will be evaluated through a national clearinghouse, which will determine fair market value for the agreement
・These are not new revenues for UK Athletics being redistributed, no “new money to finance these costs.” They will pay for these costs through “current and new revenue streams — ticket sales, fundraising, media rights, etc. — along with reductions in spending to finance the new expenses”
・NIL initiatives are not going away: “the introduction of a revenue sharing program will necessitate collaboration among various groups to benefit all athletes.”
UK ATHLETICS FAQS
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey says House settlement “represents a significant milestone’ for athlete support
Shortly after approval, Greg Sankey shared a statement of his own on how the settlement will impact the SEC:
“The approval of the House settlement agreement represents a significant milestone for the meaningful support of our student-athletes and a pivotal step toward establishing long-term sustainability for college sports, two of the Southeastern Conference’s priorities,” Sankey said. “As the journey to modernize collegiate sports continues, we remain focused on identifying and implementing innovative opportunities for our student-athletes across all sports while maintaining the core values that make collegiate athletics uniquely meaningful.”
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