Amateurism in college is over. It’s been clear for months that this was coming, so I’m not going to rehash the history here (I covered that in a previous article here). Instead, let’s get into how these new changes could affect your child’s recruitment, and what parents and athletes need to know as they navigate this new landscape.
What Just Happened?
As of July 1st, schools in the Power 4 conferences (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12) will be required to share revenue with their student-athletes due to the House v. NCAA settlement (read more here).
Other FBS and FCS programs will have the option to opt into revenue sharing. For the first time, schools will be able to directly pay players based on their performance in their respective sports. Each school can have an annual athlete compensation budget of around $20 million.
Will the money be split evenly across all sports? Absolutely not. Schools will have the discretion to allocate funds as they see fit, and let’s be honest, football and basketball will likely receive the lion’s share.
How Will This Affect College Recruiting?
No one knows the full impact yet, but here are some logical trends to anticipate:
1. Scholarships Won’t Get Harder, Just Different
Many families may feel like scholarships are now harder to get, but that’s not necessarily true. Scholarships have always been extremely competitive. Only 2% of athletes earn one straight out of high school.
The game hasn’t changed, but the route might look different. Expect a carousel of athletes moving between Power 4 and Group of 5 programs:
- Power 4 schools will go after high school standouts who can contribute immediately and cherry-pick top Group of 5 performers through the portal.
- Group of 5 schools will grab P4 transfers while continuing to develop high school athletes.
There will still be opportunities, but families may need to adjust their expectations. You might find better opportunities coming from Group of 5 or FCS schools.
2. FCS Schools Could Offer More Than You Think
Some FCS schools (especially those opting into revenue sharing) may have bigger budgets than certain Group of 5 schools. That means a “smaller” school could offer more money than a higher-division program.
This raises important questions: Do you want the bigger check? Or a higher level of competition? (And for the record—many top FCS programs compete at or above the level of Group of 5 schools.)
3. Not All Scholarships Will Be Equal
Schools will now have the flexibility to pay athletes differently based on market value and performance.
That means two teammates on scholarship may be receiving very different amounts.
So again: Does a young athlete go to the school with the higher level of perceived competition, or the one with the bigger paycheck? It might not be the last time we see a Travis Hunter at Jackson State type of situation.
4. Title IX Will Complicate Things
Here’s where female athletes need to pay attention.
Title IX requires equitable treatment and proportional scholarship dollars between male and female athletes. While the House v. NCAA case didn’t directly address Title IX, it’s assumed that revenue distribution will need to account for it.
Still, if schools prioritize football and men’s basketball (which they likely will), it’s unclear how equity will actually be enforced. Unless you’re at a Caitlin Clark level, it’s hard to say female athletes will see the same financial upside, for now.
Expect lawsuits and policy changes in the near future to try and sort this out.
More Questions Than Answers…for Now
Will scholarships become binding contracts? No one knows.
Some programs are already under scrutiny (like this one ), and we’re likely to see more legal and NCAA shakeups ahead.
Also, this doesn’t replace NIL. Athletes will still be able to secure NIL deals on top of direct payments, which could result in some massive paydays for high-caliber recruits.
So yes, the Power 4 schools will have the most money, the best facilities, and the biggest draw. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t real value and opportunity outside of that bubble.
Final Word to Families and Athletes
At the end of the day, families can only control what they can control.
No matter how wild the landscape gets, the formula remains the same: Strong academics. Consistent hard work. Good film.
Handle that, and let the rest take care of itself.
– Boostman
Contact Information
📍 Address: 500 Harrington St unit c-1, Corona, CA 92878
📞 Phone: 951-847-1260
🌐 Website: https://bassathletics.com
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