College Sports Roster Spending Soars Beyond $20.5M Rev-Share Cap

College sports roster spending is rising beyond the $20.5 million rev-share cap intended to limit direct payments to athletes following the House v. NCAA settlement. Opendorse’s annual report says the average school in the Power 4 conferences offered players $13.5 million in third-party NIL deals above the rev-share cap across sports, pushing total spending to more than $30 million instead of the $20.5 million limit. The report cautions it does not have access to all NIL contracts, but estimates market data using Opendorse’s NIL platform. It explains that Division I departments can spend up to $20.5 million directly, while athletes can still earn NIL deals outside the cap, often financed through collectives, media rights holders, sponsors, and brands. To evaluate deals, the College Sports Commission reviews NIL agreements above $600 through NIL Go, after which top football rosters are projected to approach $40 million and men’s basketball rosters $10–$12 million this year.