The landscape of college athletics could soon undergo a seismic change if a multi-billion settlement is approved this spring, opening the door for revenue sharing to become the new norm in the sport.
A judge will rule whether or not to allow the House v. NCAA settlement to come to fruition, allowing student-athletes to earn a portion of the profits college athletics departments nationwide acquire. Revenue sharing would be optional and the amount of money participating universities could directly pay out to their athletes would be capped at $20.5 million.
Last May, the NCAA Board of Governors, with the blessing of all of the power conferences, agreed to settle the antitrust lawsuit. The settlement, if approved, will cost the NCAA roughly $2.78 billion over 10 years.
To prepare for the potential changes, the Ole Miss Athletics Department has created a new title — Senior Associate A.D. for Strategy and Cap Management, which will be headed by longtime administrator Matt McLaughlin.
In this position, McLaughlin will drive the financial vision for student-athlete recruitment, retention, and Name, Image, and Likeness, including fostering brand partnerships to optimize NIL opportunities. He will also work in coordination with various Rebel coaching staffs to develop and implement revenue-sharing models while driving fundraising efforts, engaging donors, and coordinating cross-functional collaborations.
McLaughlin is in his 13th year at the university, serving as a major gifts officer for the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation since 2012. He spent the past two years as the Associate A.D. for Development/Chief Development Officer. He has been responsible for advancing fundraising efforts through philanthropic major gifts to the Vaught Society and $175 million Champions. Now. campaign to give on-campus athletic facilities a facelift.
“The scope of NIL, revenue sharing, and the overall financial status of student-athletes is being transformed in real-time, and it was imperative that we put devoted personnel in place to provide guidance in this area,” Ole Miss Athletics Director Keith Carter said.
“Over the past several years, Matt has taken great initiative in keeping Ole Miss at the forefront of not only understanding these industry trends but strategizing on how to capitalize on new opportunities,” he continued. “Our program’s remarkable success in NIL in recent years is due in part to Matt’s counsel, and in this new targeted role, we look forward to seeing him successfully collaborate with our coaches, the Grove Collective, OMAF, and other constituents to advance our department’s planning of student-athlete financial support.”
McLaughlin has also played an integral role in working alongside leadership with the Grove Collective, the Ole Miss-exclusive NIL program, to help brand the university as one of the most prominent athletic institutes in the nation to attract top-tier athletes.
His fundraising efforts for the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation have yielded positive results as the organization secured a record of $31.7 million in major gifts in Fiscal Year 2022 and a third-best $23 million in Fiscal Year 2021. Before the launch of Champions. Now., McLaughlin contributed to the planning, management, and completion of the Forward Together campaign — which brought the SJB Pavilion to fruition.
McLaughlin also played an integral role in Ole Miss securing the funding to construct the new football weight room at the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center.
“I would like to thank Keith for this opportunity and am excited to continue working with such a dynamic team,” McLaughlin said. “The alignment between the university, Ole Miss Athletics, OMAF, the Grove Collective, and the most passionate fan base in America is the secret to our success, and it has never been stronger.
“Oxford is a special place, and Ole Miss is blessed with tremendous leadership. It is an ideal destination for any student-athlete, coach, or staff member. My goal is to continue finding innovative ways for Ole Miss to compete at the highest level through the evolving collegiate landscape.”
If the House v. NCAA settlement is approved this spring, revenue sharing would go into effect in the upcoming fall semester, though litigation is expected over potential Title IX concerns and back-payments for former players who were denied NIL opportunities.
