Urban Meyer expresses concern over future of women's sports with House settlement passing

Less than a week after last Friday night’s approval by California district judge Claudia Wilken, the landmark House v. NCAA settlement is already facing its first legal challenge. On Wednesday, a group of eight current and former women’s collegiate student-athletes appealed the settlement, citing Title IX violations with regard to the dispersment of $2.8 billion in back damages, most of which will go to male athletes.

“The House Settlement allocates $2.4 billion to men and only $102 million to women,” objecting attorney Leigh Ernst Friestedt told CBS Sports. “This significant disparity constitutes a violation of Title IX.”

The appeal, which named eight female objectors from College of Charleston, Vanderbilt and Virginia, specifically claimed the House settlement violates the Title IX gender equality statute. The appeal argues that female athletes are being deprived of $1.1 billion.

While it specifically targets the back damages portion of the settlement, and won’t hold up any future revenue-sharing set to begin July 1, with Power conference programs slated to receive up to $20.5 million. But even that could lead to Title IX issues given the proposed dispersion with football expected to receive approximately 75% of that figure, followed by 15% to men’s basketball, with women’s basketball receiving just 5% and all remaining sports splitting the final 5%.

That’s where former Florida and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer raised his greatest concern. Meyer is somewhat worried about what’s ahead for college athletics in a post-House world.

“I just hope women’s sports don’t go away, brother,” Meyer said, speaking directly to co-host Mark Ingram during this week’s episode of The Triple Option podcast. “I know you have daughters. My two daughters … both my girls played college sports, and you take away college volleyball from my daughters, that’s a game-changer.

“My concern isn’t (a potential reduction in available NIL money), … because the gymnast at LSU (Livvy Dunne) can still make all the money she wants on Instagram and all that,” Meyer continued. “What I’m worried about is that just for budget costs, they (get rid of women’s and Olympic) sports. That’s what I’m worried about.”

Should Division I schools begin outright cutting non-revenue-generating sports, especially those of the Olympic variety, expect to see even more lawsuits filed.

With first appeal to House v. NCAA settlement, back damages put on pause

The first back-damage payments to former athletes from 2016 to 2024 have hit pause following a Title IX appeal filed on Wednesday. Notable athletes who will collect back damages in this class include names like Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield and Zion Williamson.

Ninety percent of that back-damage cash is set to be paid out to football and men’s basketball athletes. Football and men’s basketball players have historically generated the most TV revenue for conferences and starred in college sports video games. Because of that, athletes in those sports are set to reap the most benefits in those two categories in back damages.

According to court documents, football and men’s basketball players will make approximately $91,000 in broadcast NIL. The range for those athletes is $15,000 to $280,000. Players with the most lost opportunities also stand to make up to $800,000.

Those payments will now be put on pause until the appeal is resolved, and it’s expected to be just the first in a long line of legal challenges brought against the settlement. The first back-damage payment was set to be due within 45 days of the settlement’s finalization – or Monday, July 21.

— On3’s Pete Nakos contributed to this report.