1 of the best sessions at the NCAA Convention last month was the 1 featuring panelists from the College Sports Commission (CSC). There are so many things happening these days that did not exist even a few years ago (NIL, revenue sharing, etc.) that it is hard to know what is going on behind the scenes. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel went to the source by asking the CSC to shed some light on what it has accomplished so far, and here is what he learned from their spokesperson.
Why/how was the College Sports Commission created? The College Sports Commission (CSC) was established following the approval of the House settlement in June 2025. The CSC oversees and enforces the rules stemming from the House settlement, including revenue sharing, third-party NIL deals and roster limits. More information about the House settlement and the creation of the CSC can be found here: www.collegesportscommission.org/about
As a result of the House v. NCAA settlement, participating institutions are now allowed to share revenue directly with student-athletes: what is the biggest impact of the settlement that college sports fans might be unaware of? Student-athletes have more opportunities than ever before to financially benefit during their participation in intercollegiate athletics. Institutions are now able to share revenue directly with student-athletes, in addition to providing existing benefits such as athletic scholarships, access to world-class training facilities, academic counseling, medical care, post-eligibility medical coverage, mental health resources, nutritional guidance and life skills development. Student-athletes are also able to continue receiving compensation from third-parties other than their institutions for the use of their NIL, so long as their NIL deals are made with the purpose of using their NIL for a valid business purpose and do not exceed a reasonable range of compensation. The settlement also created the CSC, bringing strong, fair, and consistent enforcement to college sports, while continuing to support greater opportunities for more student-athletes.
It sounds like your entire office is busy: can you give us a brief idea of what sort of work is taking up the most time (quality), or is it mostly due to the sheer # of deals that are being negotiated (quantity)? We welcomed key leaders to the CSC, including John Bramlette as Head of Operations and Deputy General Counsel and Katie Medearis as Head of Investigations and Deputy General Counsel. Their experience is already proving valuable as we build out our enforcement and compliance functions and assemble strong supporting teams.
What is the single-biggest deal that your group has overseen, and if you cannot give me any specifics then can you confirm how big a dollar amount was involved (6 figures/7 figures/8 figures)? The CSC does not share information about individual deals. Since the NIL Go platform launched on June 11 through December 31, 2025, the CSC has cleared a total of 17,321 deals worth a combined $127.21M.
1 of your group’s roles is to manage compliance with revenue sharing rules: is there a specific rule that has gotten people in trouble the most No.
1 of the requirements for 3rd-party NIL deals is that they be for a “valid business purpose”: what is an example of a close call that was ruled valid, and what is the most ridiculous proposed deal that has been ruled invalid? The CSC does not share information on individual deals.
The “Range of Compensation” for a student-athlete’s unique NIL value is based upon factors such as their athletic performance /social media reach/local market: do you fear that will encourage players to act selfishly on the court/spend too much time on social media/only play for schools in big cities? No.
The old scholarship limit for men’s basketball teams was 13 but the new roster limit is now 15: has it been as much of a win-win as it sounds (coaches get 2 extra scholarship players they can use to help their team win, while 2 players who would have previously been walk-ons now get scholarships)? Removing scholarship limits gives schools the flexibility to better support their student-athletes and their education, while supporting the long-term success of broad-based sports programs. This change also provides more opportunities for student-athletes to receive scholarships, including in non-revenue-generating sports.
Your inaugural Chief Executive Officer (Bryan Seeley) was hired in June 2025 after previously serving as Executive Vice President, Legal & Operations at Major League Baseball: why did he take the job, and how does he like it so far? Sharing Bryan’s quote when he was named CEO: “I am honored to serve as the first CEO of the College Sports Commission at this pivotal moment in the history of collegiate athletics. I look forward to implementing a system that prioritizes fairness, integrity, and opportunity, while preserving the values that make college sports unique. I am energized by the work ahead and excited to begin building out our team.”
When you look into your crystal ball, how do you think the CSC’s work will change 5 or 10 years down the road compared to now? The CSC’s mandate is to oversee and enforce the rules stemming from the House Settlement, including revenue sharing, third-party NIL deals and roster limits – and that is where our focus remains.
Hoops HD Staff Bracket – Friday, February 20th
This week, it is our colleague John Stalica’s turn to fill in the weekly bracket for Hoops HD. This is not to be confused with what our colleague Jon Teitel does every week when he attempts to guess the Selection Committee; rather, this is who Stalica feels should be in the field as of games played through last night. This is what he came up with:
First Four Out: Auburn, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, San Diego State
Worth A Look: UCLA, Santa Clara, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Stanford
COMMENTS FROM JOHN:
– With UConn having taken a couple of losses in the past week, the Huskies have now fallen off of the 1 line and Iowa State has stormed into their place. Wins against Kansas and Houston will do that for you, and that’s on top of a profile that already featured a blowout win at Purdue.
– I still have Texas Tech as a 3 seed for now (especially with three wins against potential #1 seeds), but the makeup of the team changed for the worse with JT Toppin’s season-ending injury earlier this week. We’ll see in the next few games as to whether or not they’re able to maintain their spot in this territory.
– NC State and Miami got off to slow starts, but I have been very impressed with each team of late. They’re playing with a sense of urgency that was missing at the beginning of the year. Teams like Georgia and UCF finally showed likewise earlier this week, but they are by no means safe.
– I had a tough time trying to figure out what to do with Auburn; they have a bunch of great wins on their profile, but 12 losses is just one too many (even with the #1 strength of schedule) right now. They have the quality of wins to be in the top half of the bracket, but not the quantity.
– I’ve finally put Ohio State into my First Four Out; while the Buckeyes quietly have put together a few wins against the NCAA Tournament field, they’ve all been at home. They need to start winning games outside of Columbus ASAP.
STAFF COMMENTS:
COMMENTS FROM DAVID:
-Stalica knows this, but did not say it. Michigan is in Philadelphia because they have requested to be sent there if they are the overall #1 seed even though Buffalo is closer. One of the perks of being the overall #1 is they will send you wherever you want whether it’s the closest site or not.
-I have been really rough on Ohio State all season long. In fact, I’ve dismissed anyone who thought they should be included as having brain trauma. But…I gotta admit…they’ve looked really good in their last couple of games. They look like an NCAA Tournament team, and if they play like that the rest of the way I think they will get the wins they need to make the field.
-This happens every year, and I get that it happens every year, and I get HOW it happens every year, but nevertheless…if I was a 5 seed in this bracket, and I had my choice of facing any team on the 9 line or any team on the 12 line, I think I’d actually rather play the 9 seeds.
COMMENTS FROM CHAD: