The House v. NCAA settlement passed Friday. Here is how it affects the MAC and initial comments from athletic directors.
College athletics changed forever Friday night.
Judge Claudia Wilken of the Northern District Court of California approved the House v. NCAA settlement, a class action lawsuit filed in 2020 by Arizona State swimmer Grant House and TCU basketball player Sedona Prince. The approval of the settlement effectively allows NCAA institutions to directly pay college athletes for the first time ever.
Under the approved revenue sharing model, NCAA programs can pay their athletes across all sports up to $20.5 million for the 2025-26 academic year, and that number is expected to increase by approximately 4% each year for the next decade.
How does this affect the Mid-American Conference specifically?
The MAC will face challenges compared to some of its SEC and Big Ten counterparts, considering the MAC’s relative media deal (which pays each program roughly $1 million per year through 2026-27) pales in comparison to the SEC and Big Ten multi-billion dollar media deals. Thus, reaching the $20.5 million revenue sharing threshold per year won’t be as feasible for MAC programs, especially considering many programs run at a deficit already.
So far, MAC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher has yet to implement a “salary floor” or any official guidelines for the conference to follow in the post-House settlement world of college athletics. For instance, the American Athletic Conference is set to require all programs — except service academies Army and Navy — to distribute a minimum of $10 million to athletes across the next three academic years.
As of midnight of June 11, six of the 13 MAC programs or athletic directors released statements or tweets regarding the House v. NCAA settlement. Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami, Ohio, UMass, and Western Michigan have yet to release a public statement or comment from their athletic director.
The six statements/comments are listed below:
Akron Zips
Athletic director Andrew T. Goodrich sent the following tweet June 7:
“Our team is incredibly excited about the future of @AkronZips Athletics!!! Great Donors who get it! Amazing Coaches & Staff who are humble, hungry, & committed! Campus & Community Leaders who love our students! Trust that the best is yet to come. Go Zips!! #MakeTheClimb”
Ball State Cardinals
Athletic director Jeff Mitchell released the following statement June 8:
“We acknowledge the NCAA settlement in the House v. NCAA case as a pivotal step in the evolution of intercollegiate athletics. Ball State University remains fully aligned in its commitment to fostering an environment of opportunity and growth for student-athletes. We will lead with a collaborative and progressive approach as we navigate the complexities ahead; and we will continue advocating for sustainable models that strengthen the student-athlete experience at Ball State. Together, we will excel in this new era with purpose, unity and a deep respect for the mission of higher education. Onward now you Cardinals!”
Bowling Green Falcons
Athletic director Derek van der Merwe released the following statement June 10:
“Collegiate athletics has continuously evolved since its inception, and last week’s federal approval of the House settlement represents another crossroad. With this change, universities are now permitted to directly compensate student-athletes for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) through licensing deals. This marks a dramatic shift and significant departure from the tradition of amateurism that has long defined college sports.
Just as the boundaries of the classroom have expanded, so too has our understanding of how students learn. At Bowling Green State University, we have always believed that our arenas, courts, pools, and fields serve as powerful extensions of the classroom – environments where students are supported and empowered to be successful.
We are prepared for this moment to thrive in this new landscape. Over the past two years, we have worked diligently to position Bowling Green to thrive in this new era. As with any change, we will lean into this, serving as an innovative partner to our student-athletes as they elevate and monetize their personal brands, grow their entrepreneurial ventures, and gain the financial literacy necessary for lifelong success.
However, we remain rooted in the value of college athletics: the love of the game, the pursuit of excellence, the pride of competing at the highest level and elevating the profile of Bowling Green. We are committed to a student-athlete-centered approach, and we will continue to embrace the holistic role athletics has on our comprehensive university. As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, Bowling Green will adapt and strive for success while staying true to our educational mission to prepare students for meaningful and productive lives and careers well beyond their time in competition.
Forward Falcons!”
Buffalo Bulls
Athletic director Mark Alnutt released the following statement June 9:
This past Friday marked a historic moment in NCAA Division I Athletics. With Judge Claudia Wilken granting final approval to the House settlement, a new era begins on July 1—one in which student-athletes will be able to share in athletics-generated revenue alongside their institutions.
At the University at Buffalo, we have been preparing for this transformative opportunity for over a year. In close alignment with President Dr. Satish Tripathi and university leadership, we made the decision to opt in. Implementation of this new framework is already underway, and we are finalizing the systems, resources, and engagement opportunities that will empower our student-athletes and connect our community in new and meaningful ways. We are committed to ensuring that our Division of Athletics not only adapts to this new landscape but thrives within it.
Our mission remains clear: to provide our student-athletes with a first-class collegiate experience—one that empowers them to succeed in the classroom, in competition, in the community, and in life after sport. To achieve this, we must continue to build a strong foundation of self-generated revenue through fundraising, sponsorships, and ticket sales.
In addition to revenue sharing, student-athletes at UB will continue to benefit from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities with external businesses. We’re excited to see growing interest from corporate partners who are eager to support our athletes in meaningful and innovative ways.
To ensure these partnerships are transparent and aligned with national best practices, NIL activities will now be reported through a new online platform called NIL Go. This system is designed to uphold a consistent set of standards developed by the newly established College Sports Commission, with guidance from Deloitte.
As we move into this next phase, we will be sharing more details on how alumni, fans, and business partners can get involved. Your continued support—through fundraising, sponsorships, and engagement—will be essential to helping us build a sustainable model that empowers our student-athletes and elevates UB Athletics.
I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our alumni, fans, and the Western New York community. Your belief in our mission and your commitment to our student-athletes make everything we do possible. As we enter this new chapter, we do so with optimism, alignment, and a shared purpose.
Together, we will shape the future of UB Athletics—one that reflects the values of our university, the strength of our community, and the limitless potential of our student-athletes.
Thank you for standing with us—Horns Up and Go Bulls!
Northern Illinois Huskies
Athletic director Sean T. Frazier tweeted the following thread June 8:
“Landmark Case, Continued Uncertainty, Massive Change, New Era Of College Athletics, Things Will Not Be The Same, College Athletics Is Now A Pro Like Model, The Sky is No Longer Blue, Revenue Generation Is The Top Focus, We Must Change Our Entire Operational Model, are just some of the catch phrases and descriptors that many of us have heard up until the House Settlement approval and I am sure that these buzz words will continue to be mainstays on many college campuses across the country.
I am not saying that these descriptors do not adequately represent what is happening to college athletics, but I am saying to my fellow athletics practitioners (Athletic Directors, Presidents/Chancellors and Higher Education Professionals) that be extremely cautious/trust but verify before making major changes without strategic thought, student-athlete well being, and historical evaluation of athletics/higher education evolvement.
In Short, “Don’t Flinch” as one of my mentors (Barry Alvarez) always said. We must “Keep the Main Thing The Main Thing” and for me it is fulfilling the best possible quality of experience for our students, staff, faculty, alumni, community and supporters without compromising standards! I believe that we as an industry needed to go through a massive change such as what is now happening in college athletics to ensure that we are truly serving all of our stakeholders.
This doesn’t mean that we abandon all of college athletics best practices and operational culture. There are important components and skill sets that need to be maintained to ensure that college athletic departments operate within the higher education environment/framework. Yes, innovation, adaptation and operational flexibility will be required for all athletic departments moving forward, but not at a cost of completely redefining key leadership roles and skill sets that are needed to manage multiple sport programs, staffing and revenue generation.
The level of complexity in this college athletics modern era necessitates the melding of past best practice and todays innovation to ensure sustainability without negative outcomes. Humbled that we (NIU) have charted a new athletics department model in 2026 to meet the needs and expectations of our stakeholders in our quest for institutional sustainability. This process was extensive and will not work for every institution, but we believe this process serves as hope that if there is effort there can be progress. Forward #NIU #MissionPossible #HuskiesAscend”
Toledo Rockets
Athletic director Bryan Blair released the following statement June 7:
“The House settlement marks a defining moment in the continued evolution of college athletics. The University of Toledo has been preparing for this shift, and we are aligned in our vision to ensure Rocket student-athletes thrive in the modern era.
Our department remains committed to working collaboratively across campus to develop a comprehensive model that reflects our values, invests in student-athletes, and positions Toledo for long-term success.
We are proud to be once again standing at the forefront of progress. While change is inevitable, the power and potential of Team Toledo emboldens our belief in accomplishing the ‘impossible’. Let’s Rise Together. Go Rockets!”