$2.8 billion NCAA payment Waiting for final approval from a federal judge, it is touted as a solution to help thousands of athletes ultimately get the money they deserve and make them somewhat clearer about their recruitment. For some, it’s too late.
Sophomore distance runner Jake Limmel says he was one of five walk-ons cut from the Virginia Tech cross-country team after the Thanksgiving break. Rimmel decided to take time off and train independently, considering his next move.
“Everyone has their hands tied right now, so I don’t have much opportunity,” Rimmel told The Associated Press. “I had to bet on myself and trust the process. It was lonely. I train myself at home and live with my family. I am grateful to my family and everything. I am grateful to them.
With approval pending, so-called House settlements allow schools to share their income directly with athletes to use their names, images and caricatures (nils). It could secure generational wealth for some rather than others, and replacing the scholarship cap with roster restrictions is expected to leave the walk-on, partial scholarship earner. Non-profit sports athletes And high schools are at risk. There are deep concerns about the potential impact Sports that feed the US Olympics team.
US District Judge Claudia Wilken told her attorneys handling the settlement to come back to her. There are plans to protect athletes Now or recently, a demand seen as a way to ease the blow on school rosters across the country.
It’s anyone’s guess for now how it looks, but thousands of athletes like Rimmel don’t know where they’re going this fall or at risk of not playing college sports anymore. And many athletes who balance schools and their sports are unaware that they are at risk, and there are more questions than answers.
Belmont athletics athlete Sabrina Wotsberg said everything she knows about the settlement comes from personal research.
“My school doesn’t have a lot of education around it (settlement). Sometimes, “Hey, if you want to sign up to get some potentially some money from this house settlement you’re going on, you can do it,” Ootsburg said. “We are given the education that is limited, but consumption seems optional.”
Oostburg is used to putting problems into his own hands, securing over 50 transactions himself. She contacted her attorney and asked for updates on the settlement, but she was not at all relieved. The chaotic nature of university track and field, which is very obvious to the public, is even worse for the athletes themselves.
“As a college athlete, it’s constantly changing, so it’s very difficult to stay up to date with what’s going on every day,” she said.
Small, non-revenue generation programs do not have people at the point to navigate nil transactions or educate athletes. In Belmont, NIL-related responsibilities are already managed by a busy compliance office.
“It takes a lot of time to learn what’s going on, especially if you’re not one of those percent or one of the football players who are dedicated to staying up to date,” she said.
For now, thousands of athletes are closing their spring semester, with many competing for league tournaments and NCAA championships. For athletes like Rimmel, these changes are already here.
Several others cut from the Virginia Tech program gave up their dream of university running completely. Rimmel hasn’t given up completely. He recently spoke to a former coach. He said the Hokies’ athletics division is still trying to understand what’s coming.
“I still think I might be able to find a way back there next fall,” he said.
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AP College Sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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