Power conferences want schools to sign 'membership agreement' for NIL enforcement protection

Change has been inevitable in college athletics since 2021 with the arrival of the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL). How everything was done for decades almost immediately changed over night. That quickly turned into a bunch of lawsuits against the NCAA that are still ongoing.

College sports administrators are now trying to put a stop to the lawsuits once and for all.

On July 1, revenue-sharing is set to arrive in college athletics as long as Judge Claudia Wilken passes the NCAA v. House settlement (which is expected). That means power conferences can share up to $20.5 million with student-athletes. That also means the arrival of an NIL clearinghouse called “NIL Go” that will be run by accounting firm Deloitte. Any deal over $600 must be submitted and approved moving forward. This was a move to stop pay-for-play via NIL collectives from happening. But many were skeptical because antitrust lawsuits could still be used for schools and players to fight back against the NCAA.

Well, college leaders have a plan.

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger reported on Monday night that officials from the power conferences (Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC) are circulating a document intended to prevent universities from using their own state laws to violate new enforcement rules. This would requires schools to waive their right to pursue legal challenges against the College Sports Commission (CSC). The CSC is serving as the new enforcement arm in college athletics.

“The CSC, soon to hire an executive director, board and enforcement staff, is expected to manage the enforcement and infractions of the new athlete revenue-share era, in a way replacing a much-maligned NCAA-controlled process of lengthy investigations, controversial enforcement decisions and what some believe to be unnecessary committee hearings,” writes Dellenger.

Three weeks ago, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill that would allow Memphis, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt — in the simplest terms possible — to break the new rules established by the settlement and continue pay-for-play. That was setting those schools up for the future in a post-settlement world where lawsuits were expected to continue.

The revenue-sharing settlement gives college sports a structure but some in the NCAA membership didn’t seem ready to buy-in completely. This contract now floating around as conferences host spring meetings is a step by leaders to prevent more lawsuits. Dellenger reports that schools that do not comply could face conference expulsion. You know what that could bring? You guessed it. More lawsuits.

Nothing can happen until the settlement passes. Everyone is still waiting on that, but there is going to be a fight over the summer when the settlement arrives. College Commissioners and their offices have a plan in place. Some members might not be willing to play ball. That could create more chaos.

SEC spring meetings run from May 27-29 in Destin. Those just got a lot more interesting.