NCAA Antitrust Settlement: How Does College Lacrosse benefit?

 In late July the NCAA Antitrust lawsuit was updated and filed. If settled upon NCAA will be told to pay approximately 2.78 billion dollars in back damages that had taken place over the past ten years. The settlement addressed three primary issues. First, payment of back damages claims relating to the NIL, (Name, Image and Likeness), increasing benefits from institutions to student athletes and and eliminating scholarship limits in favor of roster limits. The third point is the most interesting to me and the one we will be focusing on today.

Scholarships help students in athletics pay for school and in some cases allow for these student athletes to attend school for free. Sports like football and basketball often boast about their ability to pay for a kids schooling with they attend college. Prior to this antitrust ruling division one lacrosse rosters were able to hand out 12.5 scholarships to their athletes. Often times splitting those scholarships among 55 players. This is a dramatic change from the former amount of scholarships given. If settled upon the sport of lacrosse will be changed forever. 

The stigma surround lacrosse is that college is the pinnacle of the sport. The pro side does not pay well enough for it to be a full time job for its players. While Paul Rabil is trying to combat this problem with the construction of the Premier Lacrosse League, PLL, it is tough sledding. This change in college lacrosse will open avenues for further players. Those who might not be able to attend college without a full scholarship. These added players might have the ability to open the sport up to further audiences. 

As someone who has played lacrosse all my life I see this as a win for the sport. Before the addition of the PLL, I didn't even watch pro lacrosse. The collegiate national championship was the highest a player could go in my opinion. Although the sport will take a great deal of time to grow to the same level as collegiate football or basketball, I do think it is possible. Please let me know what you all think about this settlement and what it could mean for college lacrosse. 

For further information please see these links below:

Settlement Documents Files in College Athletics Class Action Lawsuit:

https://www.ncaa.org/news/2024/7/25/media-center-settlement-documents-filed-in-college-athletics-class-action-lawsuits#:~:text=The%20settlement%20calls%20for%20total,damages%20as%20determined%20by%20plaintiffs.

What The NCAA Antitrust Settlement Means For College Lacrosse:

https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/college/what-ncaa-antitrust-settlement-means-college-lacrosse#:~:text=NCAA%20opens%20the%20potential%20for,eligible%20to%20receive%20a%20scholarship.