After the House v. NCAA Settlement: Mid-major schools fighting for seat at college football’s shrinking table

A new chapter in college athletics has begun … but the story is far from finished. This summer’s landmark House v. NCAA settlement cracked open the door to revenue sharing and ushered in sweeping reforms, but even a multibillion-dollar agreement can’t escape turbulence. Legal challenges are already mounting, Congress is inching closer to direct involvement, and the sport’s power brokers are bracing for another round of seismic decisions as key media deals — including that involving the College Football Playoff — near expiration in the early 2030s.

Using the House settlement’s 10-year timeline as a guiding framework, CBS Sports spoke with dozens of stakeholders to explore what the future of college athletics might look like by 2035. Part 4 of this four-part series examines the future of mid-major conferences and their programs as power conferences gain more control (and money) in the system.

Check out the rest of the series here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

College athletics has entered a new frontier in the revenue-sharing era, but another trend is emerging as programs jockey for position in the conference landscape: franchise expansion fees.

As conference realignment slows and revenue sharing accelerates, mid-major programs are offering millions just for a seat at the table. Few, however, are pulling out a chair.

It’s not the first time. It won’t be the last.

In this chaotic new era, desperation breeds innovation and risk. Schools are rewriting the playbook and borrowing from professional sports to stay relevant. In pro leagues, investors pay up to $1 billion in expansion fees for start-up franchises. Now, as money drives decisions in the collegiate space, deep-pocketed mid-majors are following suit.

SMU gave up roughly $360…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/after-the-house-v-ncaa-settlement-mid-major-schools-fighting-for-seat-at-college-footballs-shrinking-table/

Author : Brandon Marcello

Publish date : 2025-08-07 18:34:00

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