The University of Maine intends to opt out of a landmark settlement between the NCAA and Division I student-athletes, according to a statement from the school’s athletic department on Monday.
As a result of that $2.8 billion court settlement, colleges and universities at the Division I level will be permitted to pay athletes directly for the first time in addition to providing them with athletic scholarships.
But schools have to decide whether to opt in to that new framework or not, and UMaine’s announcement on Monday indicates that the state’s only Division I program will forgo that new approach — at least for next season.
“While a final decision is not yet required by the NCAA, based on the information currently available, our intention as of today is to opt out for the 2025–26 year,” the UMaine athletic department said in its Monday statement. “As this decision is an annual one and can change each year, we will continue to evaluate the situation as it evolves.”
The House v. NCAA settlement gets its name from former Arizona State swimmer Grant House, a lead plaintiff in one of several anti-trust cases brought against the NCAA. Federal judge Claudia Wilken approved the settlement on Friday, opening the door to more than $2 billion being paid out to former athletes who weren’t allowed to earn money during their time at NCAA institutions. And now universities that opt-in will be able to access new revenue sharing and compensate athletes directly, with a cap of around $20.5 million in the first year of the settlement.
By opting out, universities forgo that revenue sharing and ability to pay athletes directly but also don’t have to follow other elements of the settlement, like new roster limits for teams.
Despite signaling UMaine’s intent to opt out of the settlement, Monday’s statement from the athletic department described it as a positive step for college athletics generally.
“The settlement is a positive step for college athletics in defining a new landscape and in creating a path forward that prioritizes student-athlete support and promotes a level playing field,” the UMaine statement said. “We support the direction and intent of the settlement and we remain committed to engaging in the national conversation and to enhancing the student-athlete experience at the University of Maine.”
The department did not cite specific reasons for the potential opt-out.
“As Maine’s only Division I institution, we remain focused on our vision to be among the top five Division I institutions in greater New England and we will continue to take a strategic and thoughtful approach towards achieving that goal,” the statement continued.
