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Colorado's Rick George Reacts to House Settlement Approval
Colorado's Rick George Reacts to House Settlement Approval originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Colorado athletic director Rick George has been at work in anticipation of the House settlement for 'nearly a year'. In a letter to the fanbase and other concerned parties, he outlined the three primary aspects of the ruling by Judge Claudia Wilken that most directly affects the athletic programs at Colorado.
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Revenue Sharing
The $20.5 million per university revenue sharing was something that had been discussed for some time now. Each program will have the ability to pay players directly within a revenue share that is proportional to the revenue that sport generates. George stipulated that each student athlete will have an opportunity to participate in the revenue sharing to some degree, if they so choose. In an interesting admission, George maintains that while universities are not required to spend that full $20.5M, CU intends to 'fully meet the $20.5 million dollar responsibility'.
Third Party NIL
In addition to revenue sharing, individual student-athletes will still have the ability to enter into NIL agreements with businesses separate from the university's revenue sharing. This is a good time to mention Shedeur Sanders' NIL valuation vs brand deals as an example. A significant portion of his earnings from 2024 specifically dealt with brands like Gatorade, Beats by Dre, and KFC. This provision allows for higher-profile earners like perhaps someone like Texas QB Arch Manning to supplement his earning potential with outside business deals. As of now, Colorado doesn't have a high-end seven figure earner.
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Roster Limits
Roster limits might be an interesting aspect to track. Scholarship limits have now been replaced by roster limits. Scholarship limits created a bit of a grey area. 'Our approach is to be mindful of our responsibilities as outlined by the settlement and mandated by Title IX,' George said. As for potentially 'grandfathering roster spots that have been removed, CU will explore those on a case-by-case basis.
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Future Positioning
Deion Sanders has been the most vocal of the CU head coaches when it comes to what they offer prospective student-athletes and what they don't. 'We want players interested in the NFL not the NIL.' Coach Prime has often said they don't promise anything but an opportunity to play football and earn a quality education. Prime has maintained if players handle business on the field and in the classroom, the money part will take care of itself. Now that Brian Seeley will head up the College Sports Commission following the settlement, programs now have a structure and blueprint to follow. Hopefully leading to a governed system with oversight.
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Fan or Community involvement
George also made sure to include how fans and local businesses can contribute to funding a better program under these new guidelines. Anyone can contribute to the 'Buff Club' directly and any interested businesses are encouraged to contact the CU NIL Department to explore additional ways to enhance their brand through deals.
Revenue sharing with the players will start on July 1.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
