Yasmine Halmane

The Ivy League is opting out of a groundbreaking new NCAA settlement that would allow universities to pay its student-athletes. 

This summer, the NCAA and Power Five conferences proposed a $2.8 billion settlement to allow universities to pay their collegiate athletes. The settlement permits institutions to compensate athletes for NIL — or Name, Image and Likeness — usage during their enrollment, enhancing opportunities for athletes to monetize their personal brands. The money made by teams, up to $20.5 million annually, would be directly distributed to the athletes who choose to partake in the program. 

“This decision to ‘not opt in’ means the Ivy League and its schools … will continue to provide an educational intercollegiate athletics model that is focused on academic primacy and the overall student-athlete experience,” Robin Harris, the Ivy’s executive director wrote in a statement.

She added that opting out of the settlement does not impact student athletes’ opportunity to market their individual NIL rights and secure legitimate NIL-related payments from a third-party sponsor. 

The Ivy League streams many of its games on ESPN+, ESPN2 and ESPNU; however, instead of receiving that money and distributing it to the schools’ programs and their athletes, the league holds it for itself instead. 

The Ivy League’s decision to opt out is a massive blow to potential revenue streams for Ivy League athletes and could cost the Ancient Eight the next generation of athletic talent, according to Richard Kent, a sports lawyer specializing in NIL.

“This could dramatically impact [Yale’s] impact in the athletic recruiting process,” Kent told the News. “Schools are going to be able to spend up to $20.5 million outside of NIL collectives [on their athletes].” Now, Yale won’t be able to compensate its athletes the same way.

Since the introduction of NILs for collegiate athletes in 2021, Ivy League athletes already have less earning potential than players in other leagues. Players from the ACC, SEC and other Power Five conferences have been rumored to be valued at millions of dollars based on their NIL contracts. Some Ivy players, such as former Yale basketball player Danny Wolf, have transferred to Power Five schools this season, likely in pursuit of these opportunities. 

The league’s latest decision could potentially expedite Yale’s loss of athletic talent to schools who can pay the big bucks.

Some Yale athletes are on board with the decision. 

“The Ivy League is committed to maintaining the integrity and tradition of the league, and I believe opting out best aligns with the leagues vision,” expressed Mason Shipp ’25, a wide receiver on the Yale football team set to graduate this spring. “It’s unfortunate that we will not have an opportunity to make a share of the revenue, but I believe it is one of the trade-offs when deciding to attend an Ivy League school.”

Other trade offs include the prohibition of sports scholarships and the lack of NIL collectives. When asked to comment on Yale’s position on the deal or provide clarity into the University’s rationale, Colleen Murphy, assistant athletic director for strategic communications, copied the message sent by Harris. 

The Yale Athletics department did not provide any further comment pertaining to the University or Ivy League’s decision. 

The House v. NCAA settlement will be signed by Judge Mary Kay Wilken on April 7.

SIENNA TEJPAUL
Sienna is a sophomore in Pauli Murray and she is majoring in Ethics, Politics and Economics with a certificate in French. She currently covers Football and Basketball for the News and also enjoys writing for University and WKND on occasion. She is originally from London and now lives in Connecticut.