CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Ivy League has chosen not to participate in the recent antitrust settlement that would allow universities to directly compensate their athletes. This decision highlights the league’s commitment to maintaining its focus on academic integrity and the traditional amateur model of college sports, even as larger NCAA conferences move towards more lucrative arrangements for players.
In an email sent to student-athletes and coaches, Ivy League executive director Robin Harris emphasized that the conference would not adopt the rules regarding player rosters and endorsements outlined in the House settlement, which is part of a significant shift towards the commercialization of college sports. “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,” Harris explained in the correspondence.
Harris also expressed confidence in the Ivy League’s unique approach, highlighting the opportunity for student-athletes to experience both premier academics and personal development while achieving consistent success in athletics. “The totality of the Ivy League model… is a well-rounded experience that will continue to resonate in this evolving and uncertain era of college sports,” he added.
The proposed $2.8 billion antitrust settlement aims to address accusations that the NCAA and its major conferences worked together to deny athletes a fair share of the revenue generated by college sports, transforming it from a mere extracurricular pursuit into a substantial business. This agreement proposes changes that would eliminate restrictions on scholarship limits and establish roster caps while aiming to regulate the increasingly chaotic landscape of name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments, where athletes can earn money through endorsements.
Under these new regulations, colleges that were once limited to offering scholarships and stipends would gain the ability to pay athletes directly, pending approval by a federal judge. It’s important to note that the Ivy League does not grant athletic scholarships, although it does provide funds based on academic excellence and financial need.
Prominent conferences such as the Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-12 have already agreed to the settlement, leaving smaller conferences, including the Ivy League, to decide their course of action. Harris clarified that the Ivy League would not alter its existing rules in reaction to the impending settlement, as was reported by The Daily Pennsylvanian. A copy of the email sent to players came to light through a Brown University athlete.
Additionally, Harris noted that Ivy League athletes would still have the opportunity to benefit from legitimate NIL deals, though the schools themselves would not manage these opportunities. Brown University’s athletic director Grace Calhoun echoed support for the Ivy League’s position as she shared Harris’s email with the student-athlete community. “We continue to believe in our league’s strong position in the drastically changing landscape of intercollegiate sports,” Calhoun stated.
