Year One of Revenue Sharing: $1.8 Billion Paid Directly to College Athletes

By faNILy Team · October 2, 2026

We finally have the full picture of year one. The College Sports Commission reported this week that schools paid about $1.8 billion directly to athletes during 2025-26, the first year of revenue sharing under the House v. NCAA settlement.

The numbers

Per the CSC's report, as covered by On3 and Bleacher Report:

$1.77 billion in direct revenue-sharing payments
$42 million in Alston awards and $163 million in additional scholarship spending, bringing the total to about $1.8 billion
307 schools made direct payments
Nearly 35,000 athletes received payments across 45 sports and 33 conferences
60 to 65 schools distributed at least $17.9 million, with many meeting or exceeding the $20.5 million cap

"The implementation of the House Settlement has resulted in $1.8 billion in direct payments from schools to student-athletes across college athletics," CSC CEO Bryan Seeley said, per On3.

Third-party NIL is still big

Revenue sharing didn't replace NIL deals, and the $1.8 billion figure doesn't include them. Bleacher Report noted that 46,478 third-party deals worth $582 million have been approved through NIL Go, which launched in June 2025.

Put together, college athletes are now earning from two main streams: direct payments from schools and NIL deals with outside parties. And NIL Go's July-August report was its biggest two-month stretch yet.

Year two is already bigger

The cap for 2026-27 rose to $21.58 million per school. And if the Protect College Sports Act becomes law, the annual total could reach roughly $50 million, including a $22.5 million retention fund and $5 million for women's and non-revenue sports, per On3.

That's a big if. The Senate passed the bill 77-22 on Sept. 28, but it now faces pressure in the House. On Oct. 1, On3 reported that a person close to one of the bill's authors said, "We won't pass language to blow up the ACC," as more than a dozen House members, mostly from Florida and the Carolinas, push to weaken the bill's limits on conference realignment. On3 notes Dec. 18 is the final day of this Congress.

Money doesn't guarantee wins

One more takeaway: spending isn't everything. Bleacher Report noted that "Ohio State, Oregon and LSU already have losses, while Texas A&M has dropped two games," despite being among the biggest roster spenders. Money buys talent, but college football is still unpredictable.

What it means for athletes and fans

For athletes, the report confirms revenue sharing is real and widespread. It reached tens of thousands of athletes across 45 sports, not just stars.

For fans, it's a reminder of how much the business of college sports has changed in a year. Schools now pay athletes directly, brands like Nike sign them by the dozen and fans can engage with them commercially in ways that weren't possible a few years ago. Year one set the baseline. Year two is already raising it.