NCAA revenue-sharing shakeup hits USC athletes

Some athletes have lost their spots on college teams, despite a federal judge pausing a $2.8 billion landmark NCAA lawsuit that could mean more money for some former and current players but swapped scholarship limits for roster limits.

House vs. NCAA would settle multiple lawsuits and pay former college athletes after accusations the NCAA limited athletes’ earning potential by, among other things, restricting their ability to profit from their names, images and likenesses. But as the parties involved have worked to get athletes a portion of the profits from college sports, the NCAA has set out to reduce some rosters as a cost-saving measure.

Judge Claudia Wilken set the case’s federal settlement aside last week. She expressed concerns about lost roster spots hurting players who would suddenly be without a team, according to the Associated Press. But with the settlement previously appearing on the verge of court approval, some college teams’ rosters already have been cut.

“Personally, I got cut from the team here because they had to cut down the team to 30 girls,” said Clare Luken, a freshman on USC’s swimming and diving team. “We were at 45. So, they cut 15 to 16 of us. So, sadly, I was one of those people, and now I’m in the transfer portal trying to find a new home.”

Luken is not alone.

Former freshman teammate Sianna Savarda decided to transfer to Florida International University.

“I love swimming too much, and I just am not ready to be done with it yet,” Savarda said. “I didn’t want to be one of the ones that was forced into retirement.”

For Luken, the choice to enter the portal did not come without a cost.

“Once you enter and put your name into the transfer portal, you no longer have your USC scholarship,” Luken said. “So, if I were to stay here and not enter, I would keep my scholarship money (under the case settlement). But since I decided to enter, I’ve lost my scholarship even if I later chose to stay here.”

Savarda still has love for USC, despite how her time swimming at the university ended.

“I’m super appreciative of my family at South Carolina,” Savarda siad. “I hold no animosity towards USC, its athletic department, or the coaches who recruited me here. I know they had no idea this would happen. I’m super appreciative of them continuing to help me in my process, transferring to another school.”

South Carolina Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati discussed the upcoming changes in his Jan. 10 “From the Desk of Jeremiah Donati” news posting.

“As you can see, the realities of the House case have vast financial implications for not only our athletics department and university but for college athletics as a whole,” Donati said.

“These additional costs were not budgeted and come at a time with already existing financial pressures across our sports,” he said.

If revenue sharing is fully approved, schools would be expected to share up to about $20 million annually with student-athletes, the AP reported.

Wilken set a deadline of May 7 for both sides to tweak the settlement and address the roster-cut rules to stop more athletes from losing their spots.