Highlights

• UL Lafayette will opt into the NCAA revenue sharing model, allowing direct payments to student-athletes starting July 1
• New "Cajuns Edge" fund through RCAF provides tax-deductible giving directly to the athletic department instead of third-party collectives
• Baseball and softball programs can now offer up to 34 and 25 full scholarships, respectively, up from the previous 11.7-scholarship limitations
• Athletic department achieves budget-neutral revenue sharing through internal cost-saving measures and strategic fundraising
• Local businesses gain new opportunities for authentic NIL partnerships with Ragin' Cajuns athletes

UL Lafayette Embraces Historic NCAA Revenue Sharing: What It Means for Ragin' Cajuns Athletics

New rules allow direct athlete payments starting July 1, with a streamlined donor process and expanded scholarship opportunities

LAFAYETTE, La. (103.3 The GOAT) — The University of Louisiana will participate in the NCAA's new revenue sharing model following federal court approval of the House v. NCAA settlement. The ruling allows college athletic departments to directly pay student-athletes for the first time, with schools able to share up to $20.5 million annually starting July 1.

Deputy Athletic Director and RCAF Executive Director Trey Frazier confirmed the university's participation in an interview with The Advocate.

"We're excited about this case," Frazier said. "We're going to opt into the revenue-sharing model."

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RCAF to Handle Direct Fundraising

Under the previous system, payments to UL athletes required fundraising through the Krewe Allons collective, a volunteer group operating separately from the athletic department. The new model allows fundraising directly through the Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Foundation.

"What that means is we'll be able to fundraise for dollars through the RCAF," Frazier said. "That won't be our only means, but we'll be able to do some things with ticketing with events and with budgeting. We can fundraise and have a little bit more control over the process, and we think our fan base will appreciate that avenue a little bit more."

The change provides tax-deductible contributions and priority benefits for donors. "If you have a deep-seated relationship with someone from our staff, you'd probably rather just work directly with me in terms of your overall support for the program," Frazier said. "Plus, it's tax deductible and you're getting priority benefits and points and that kind of stuff."

New Cajuns Edge Fund Launches

Athletic Director Dr. Bryan Maggard announced in a statement to supporters that the athletic department will launch the "Cajuns Edge fund" through RCAF. The fund will allow donors and local businesses to support revenue sharing with student-athletes.

"In the upcoming weeks, we will share detailed information on how you can directly support revenue share through the RCAF's new Cajuns Edge fund," Maggard said. "By investing directly through our athletics foundation, individuals can receive tax benefits along with priority benefits and points."

The athletic department identified cost-saving opportunities to achieve budget-neutral revenue sharing for the upcoming fiscal year.

Scholarship Limits Expand Significantly

The settlement establishes new roster limits while allowing full scholarships for all roster spots. Baseball programs can now offer up to 34 scholarships, and softball can offer up to 25. Both sports previously operated under an 11.7-scholarship limit.

UL baseball coach Matt Deggs said the changes will provide structure for mid-major programs. "NIL is going to be flipped upside down a little bit for most programs with revenue sharing now," Deggs said. "It'll be a little more cut and dried with a budget that we can supplement guys with. That's what the game will be moving forward for every school."

Frazier noted the competitive implications within the Sun Belt Conference. "We need to make sure that we're supporting baseball and softball at a rate that's competitive in the Sun Belt," he said. "You could see how you'd be at a competitive disadvantage if you were at 11.7 and somebody else had say 20 scholarships, plus whatever they're doing with revenue sharing and NIL."

Budgeted Approach to Player Compensation

Coaching staffs will receive predetermined revenue sharing allocations similar to traditional budget planning.

"It'll be more like every year when we sit down with the coaches, you have more like a budgeted number," Frazier said. "They know they'll have X dollars to work with."

The athletic department will reveal specific revenue-sharing figures for each program in the coming weeks. Frazier said coaches will know their allocations include both fundraised and budgeted components.

NIL Partnerships Continue with New Structure

Student-athletes can still receive NIL compensation from third-party businesses under the new system. UL has existing NIL partnerships, including deals with student housing providers and local retailers.

The athletic department's largest NIL campaign involves more than 30 student-athletes from various sports in an anti-vaping initiative with the Louisiana Attorney General's Office. NIL deals of $600 or more must now be reported through a new platform called NIL Go.

Basketball Program Optimism

The revenue sharing model arrives as UL hired a new men's basketball coach, Quannas White. Frazier expects increased attendance and support for the program.

"I'd be pretty disappointed if attendance doesn't grow and support doesn't grow at a pretty good rate this year," he said. "Almost every person I talk to is saying, 'Yeah, I'm going to get some season tickets,' or 'I'm excited and going to come to more games.'"

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Implementation Timeline

Schools must designate by July 6 any current student-athletes who will remain above new roster limits through graduation. Fall sports must comply with roster limits by the start of the 2025-26 academic year, except for designated athletes.

The settlement includes $2.8 billion in back payments to athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024. Revenue sharing caps will increase by at least 4% annually, with baseline adjustments in years four, seven, and ten.

According to Maggard, the athletic department will provide transparent communication about implementation details. "Our staff is committed to working with each of you through transparent, informative and honest communication," he said.