The NCAA’s New Era: What the $2.8 Billion Settlement Means for Scholarships, Rosters, and Athlete Opportunity

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By AthleteXposure

In a sweeping move poised to redefine the landscape of collegiate athletics, the NCAA is preparing to eliminate scholarship caps across Division I programs and replace them with standardized roster limits—a shift made possible by a monumental $2.8 billion antitrust settlement still pending final approval. If ratified, these changes will open the door for more athletes to receive scholarships, empower coaches with broader flexibility, and mark a fundamental turning point in how college sports programs are built and maintained.

For decades, rigid scholarship caps constrained how many student-athletes a program could financially support—regardless of the size of the roster or the needs of the team. Now, the focus shifts from quantity of scholarships to quality of roster management.

“This isn’t just administrative,” one DI coach told BallerTube. “It’s about leveling the playing field for more athletes and making programs more competitive without penalizing kids over scholarship math.”

Let’s break down the monumental change.

What’s Changing? Three Core Shifts

1. Scholarship Caps Are Gone

The days of sport-specific scholarship restrictions are nearing an end. Programs will soon be allowed to offer financial aid to as many players as they wish—as long as they remain under the new roster caps. For athletes, this could mean more scholarship opportunities, particularly for those previously forced to walk on or share limited aid.

2. Roster Limits Are In

The NCAA isn’t removing restrictions entirely—it’s replacing scholarship caps with roster limits. The idea? Give schools the flexibility to fund more athletes while keeping overall team size in check. For coaches, this change introduces a delicate balancing act between talent acquisition and headcount.

3. Equivalency Scholarships for All

No more headcount sports. That’s right—football and basketball, which traditionally only allowed full scholarships per athlete, will now operate under the equivalency model. This allows coaches to split scholarships into percentages, allocating aid based on performance, need, or strategy.

Key takeaway: The NCAA settlement isn’t just about the past.
It sets the stage for new rules:
✔️ Direct NIL pay
✔️ Revenue sharing
✔️ More scholarships
The game is changing—for good.#HousevNCAA #StudentAthletes #NIL #NewhouseMojo pic.twitter.com/C67nfYakft
— Geraldine Paglia (@gpaglia57) April 20, 2025

NCAA Division I Proposed Roster Limits vs. Current Scholarship Caps

Sport	Current Scholarship Limit	Proposed Roster Limit	Net Increase
Acrobatics & Tumbling (W)	14	55	+41
Baseball (M)	11.7	34	+22.3
Basketball (M)	13	15	+2
Basketball (W)	15	17	+2
Beach Volleyball (W)	6	20	+14
Cross Country (M)	12.6	22	+9.4
Cross Country (W)	18	27	+9
Football (FBS)	85 (full only)	100	+15
Football (FCS)	63 (equivalency)	85	+22
Golf (M)	4.5	10	+5.5
Golf (W)	6	12	+6
Gymnastics (W)	12	20	+8
Ice Hockey (M)	18	30	+12
Ice Hockey (W)	18	30	+12
Lacrosse (M)	12.6	25	+12.4
Lacrosse (W)	12	25	+13
Soccer (M)	9.9	25	+15.1
Soccer (W)	14	30	+16
Softball (W)	12	22	+10
Swimming & Diving (M)	9.9	26	+16.1
Swimming & Diving (W)	14	30	+16
Tennis (M)	4.5	10	+5.5
Tennis (W)	8	12	+4
Track & Field (M)	12.6	32	+19.4
Track & Field (W)	18	40	+22
Volleyball (W)	12	20	+8
Wrestling (M)	9.9	18	+8.1

What It Means for Recruits and Parents

For families navigating the maze of college recruitment, this development is a potential game-changer. The expanded roster limits increase the probability of earning at least a partial scholarship, particularly in non-revenue sports. It also shifts the recruiting conversation from “how many scholarships are available” to “how many spots are open.”

But athletes still need to perform.

More available aid doesn’t mean guaranteed money. Coaches will still recruit aggressively, and competition for spots remains fierce—especially at Power 5 programs.

Why It Matters

This isn’t just a budget tweak—it’s a philosophical shift in how collegiate programs function. It means greater flexibility, equity, and access for athletes from all walks of life, especially those in sports historically underfunded.

It also signals the NCAA’s deeper shift toward modernization in the face of legal and public pressure, and possibly preempts broader conversations about athlete compensation, NIL rights, and governance overhaul.

In short: the game is changing.

Want more insights like this for your recruiting journey?
Head over to BallerTube.com for more editorial breakdowns, recruitment guides, and exposure opportunities for athletes chasing their dreams.