The NCAA’s Radical Proposal to Pay Division I Athletes
Amid pressure to modernize, NCAA President Charlie Baker outlines a new model where Division I schools could pay athletes through endorsements and educational trusts.
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In a groundbreaking move that would transform how college athletics has operated for more than a century, National Collegiate Athletic Association President Charlie Baker unveiled a proposal that would allow Division I schools to pay their athletes for the first time.
Baker outlined the proposal in a letter sent to member schools on Tuesday. Should Division I schools choose to accept the proposed changes, they would be free to enter into endorsement deals directly with their athletes and remove any cap on educational related benefits. They can also establish a trust fund for their athletes.
The proposed changes would create a new top tier, or subdivision, for the richest programs. Those schools would be required to set aside at least $30,000 per year for at least half of their eligible athletes in an educational trust fund designed to serve as a launching pad fund. The subdivision would also require schools to work together to make their own rules for things like scholarship limits, recruiting windows and transfer requirements.
The letter appeared to receive a warm reception. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, “I am 100% supportive of your efforts. Intercollegiate Athletics needs the proactive and forward thinking you are providing.”
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