What is NIL Go? Quick NCAA Settlement Summary & Key Takeaways

📌 Quick Summary: Key Takeaways

• Power Four football programs will have $13–$16 million annually to spend on rosters starting in 2025.

• The NCAA approved a 10-year, $2.776 billion settlement to avoid $20B+ in back damages related to past antitrust violations.

• A new NIL clearinghouse called “NIL Go” will monitor and approve third-party NIL deals.

• About 60% of the NCAA’s settlement payments will come from reduced payouts to schools, the rest from cuts to NCAA operations.

• Tighter NIL regulations are coming — unapproved deals may now impact player eligibility or result in school fines.

💰 Settlement Details:

• $277M/year paid by NCAA over the next decade

• Schools front-loaded some NIL deals before rules kick in

• Athletes will now be directly compensated by schools, not just collectives

🔍 NIL Clearinghouse (“NIL Go”):

• Operated by Deloitte

• All deals $600+ must be approved

• 70% of past collective-based deals would’ve been denied

• 90% of past public company deals would’ve been approved

• Unapproved deals risk player ineligibility or school fines

⚖️ Legal Context:

• Judge Claudia Wilken ruled that the new NIL restrictions don’t clearly violate antitrust laws under the Sherman Act.