Chris Del Conte explains Texas football season ticket price increase, approach to roster limits under House settlement

Pending approval of the House v. NCAA settlement, more changes are coming to college athletics. From revenue-sharing to new roster limits, schools across the country are bracing for potential full approval in April.

At Texas, athletics director Chris Del Conte said the plan is to go up to the full roster limit allowed under settlement guidelines. To get there, though, he also detailed changes that are coming.

Texas is estimating an additional $29.7 million into the budget, Del Conte said Wednesday during a town hall. The school has $19 million covered after becoming more “efficient.” To help with the extra $10 million, the athletics department is increasing football season ticket prices $13 per game – or $80 for the season.

“I’m going to alter the season ticket price … to help defray the cost of what we’re doing,” Del Conte said during his annual town hall. “I’m doing this, y’all, because I’m trying to maintain the very best athletic program in the country.

“I hope that you think the value we provide you on game day with all the things that we’re doing – whether it’s Bevo’s Blvd., the concert, everything that we do – we’re trying to create incredible value to say thank you. But more importantly, for you to understand what we’re trying to do.”

The $29.7 million into the budget comes from multiple parts of the House settlement. Schools will be able to share up to $20.5 million in 2025 through what Del Conte called a “publicity rights” pool, and roster limits can increase for multiple sports. The other $9.2 million comes from adding scholarships.

When it comes to roster limits, though, schools can go to the maximum amount if they choose to do so. But Chris Del Conte made it clear Texas plans to add the most spots it can – amounting to 199 additional scholarships and 466 in total.

“This is the University of Texas,” Del Conte said. “We’re good at everything. We are going to fully fund every single one of our sports at the highest division. … When you look across the board, every single one of those sports, our obligation – my obligation – is to fund them at the highest level.

“When they talk about, ‘Well, this is going to affect Olympic sports. This is going to affect what we’ve built.’ We have a legendary athletic program. Our women’s program is second-to-none.”

Texas plans to ‘fully fund’ every sport

Some sports won’t see their roster spots change. That includes football, which will stay at 85 scholarships under SEC rules even though the House settlement allows for 105. Women’s basketball will also stay at 15.

Other sports, such as women’s rowing, will see significant changes. Texas is allotting 68 new scholarships for women’s rowing – up from 20 – and women’s track is also moving from 18 scholarships to 45. On the men’s side, baseball will go up to 25 from 11.7, and the track team will increase from 12.6 scholarships to 35.

Del Conte’s argument for hitting the maximum roster limits is simple. He wants to give each program the chance to compete at the highest level. If certain sports don’t go to the max, he said it goes against his “obligation.”

“When I look at this, and I tell a coach, ‘Hey, I’m sorry, we’re going to keep you at 12 scholarships. Some programs are gonna go to 25, but I’m gonna keep you at 12.’ Do you think that coach can win a national championship? Not a chance,” Del Conte said.

“That’s our obligation. That’s our obligation, to fully fund every one of our athletic programs. Because you demand excellence. Your discretionary income is used with us.”

Chris Del Conte: Goal is to have ‘very best athletic program in the country’

The House v. NCAA settlement received preliminary approval in October 2024, and the motion for final approval is set for March 3. A hearing for final approval is set for April 7, which will be held both remotely and in-person.

In the meantime, schools have to continue making their preparations for the budget changes. That’s why Chris Del Conte announced the changes coming next season. In the end, the goal is simple. He wants Texas to be in the best position to succeed.

“The idea is, how are we going to get there?” Del Conte said. “Staff efficiencies. We have increased our support. We have great partners in [Learfield] IMG – he’s here tonight – and everything that we do across the board.

“But we’re going to look at ways to continue to make sure we have the very best athletic program in the country.”