Above the Cap

🚨 No Cap. College Sports are Back

💰 Revenue Share Is Live. Here’s What You Need To Know

This season, the game changed, and schools can now share up to $20.5 million annually with athletes thanks to the House v. NCAA settlement. That number doesn’t account for the additional “soft cap” available for NIL deals and brand partnerships.

Bottom line: Most Power Five programs are likely participating in revenue share. It’s changing the math on recruitment, retention, and NIL, especially in football and basketball. Other sports are getting in on the model, too.

But it's not just about the money. Athletes are gaining leverage.

For smaller programs, this is still meaningful. Schools are opting in to attract talent and retain athletes, even if the pie is smaller.

This season, revenue share is the quiet power play.

🔍 The Fine Print: Policy. Rules. Impact

⚖️ Is Revenue Sharing Subject to Title IX

When it comes to revenue sharing and Title IX, one thing is clear: nothing is clear.

Title IX was passed in 1972,  decades before NIL, decades before direct athlete payouts. It was written to protect educational opportunities. It never imagined an athlete getting a cut of media rights or jersey sales.

Now that schools can distribute annual revenue to athletes, the question on the table is this: Does that money count as “financial assistance”?

Here’s why it’s complicated:

• ⚖️ No court has ruled on whether NIL or revenue sharing falls under Title IX’s rules around aid (34 C.F.R. § 106.37). The law was built for scholarships, not sponsorships.

• 🏛️ In 2025, the Biden administration’s Office for Civil Rights said that revenue share should be reviewed under Title IX. But the Trump administration has reversed that, calling it “legally unsupported.”

• 💬 Equity advocates (including the NCAA and many in Congress) say this money should be split proportionally by gender, like scholarships. Free market voices argue that these are earnings, not aid, and are not governed by Title IX at all.

Why it matters to athletes:
This debate could shape how future payouts are allocated. For female athletes, especially, this is more than a legal gray area. The discussion creates an opportunity to lead a conversation on equity, visibility, voice, and value beyond revenue share.

🏆 Athlete Playbook: What. Why. How

💡 Start Smart: How Athletes Can Win This NIL Season

New school year. New season. New rules. If you're an athlete heading into the 2025–26 season, there's more opportunity—and more noise—than ever.

Between revenue share, NIL Go reviews, Title IX equity pushes, and brand deals shifting toward creators, athlete success this year won’t just come from stats. It’ll come from strategy.

Here’s how athletes win this year:

✅ Own your paperwork.
Your NIL deals now go through centralized review. Start every deal with a clean contract, a clear purpose, and a deliverables list. Keep your receipts, literally.

✅ Build in public.
Every practice clip, podcast guest spot, or story post is an asset. You don’t need to go viral; you need to be consistent. Brands and collectives are watching for professionalism and identity, not follower count.

✅ Know your value.
Revenue share may land in your account, but it also shifts your tax reality and your leverage. Learn how to talk about your worth in dollars and impact.

✅ Stay eligible.
The most expensive mistake this year is non-compliance. Work with compliance, ask questions early, and understand your school’s NIL training tools.

📣 Brand Playbook: Campaigns. Conversions. Athlete Influence

 📈 Show Me the Fans: NIL Moves Beyond the Field to the Fan Experience

Game day is evolving. DirecTV just struck multi-year deals with six major programs, featuring NIL activations, immersive fan experiences, and “fan zone” activations at venues.

Why you should care:

• Fans want interactivity, not just endorsements.

• Be open to immersive experiences, live activations, fan events, and digital interactions.

• Pitch ideas: branded hooks that sync with live events or highlight fan connection.

🔦 NRS Spotlight: Pitt x NOCAP

Pitt just became the latest program to generate revenue through strategic business partnerships within its own community with a Field Experience event.

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