College Athletes, Know Your Rights: How to Evaluate Third-Party Offers to Buy Your House Settlement Damages Claim

By Aidan J. Flannery and Samantha H. Lovett The House v. NCAA settlement awards $2.8 billion in damages to college athletes who competed between September 2016 and June 2025, when Judge Wilken approved the settlement agreement (“Damages Class Members” or “Class Members”).[8] This money compensates the athletes for the NCAA having prohibited or limited them from profiting off of their name, image, and likeness (NIL). These “back-pay” damages awards will be paid out over 10 years, with