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FSU A.D. Michael Alford excited about House settlement, still 'skeptical' of enforcement

On3 imageby: Ira Schoffel06/12/25iraschoffel
On3 image
FSU athletics director Michael Alford speaks during a break Tuesday at the ACC spring meetings at Amelia Island. (Aslan Hajivandi/Warchant)

While uncertainty swirls around the NCAA’s recently approved House settlement and how revenue-sharing with college athletes is going to work — and be governed — FSU athletics director Michael Alford expressed cautious optimism Thursday to the university’s Board of Trustees.

During the board’s regularly scheduled June meeting, Alford said he is “in favor” of the House settlement, is happy it was approved and is excited that the Seminoles soon will be able to share up to $20.5 million in television revenue each year with FSU’s athletes.

But he also acknowledged there are real concerns about whether schools will abide by that limit and not funnel extra money to athletes and recruits under the false pretense of permissible NIL agreements.

“The system will work, we just have to allow it to work,” Alford said. “I’m in full favor of the system and the audit that comes behind it. What I’m skeptical [of] — and I’ve let my feelings be known to our ACC legal counsel and our commissioner — is the enforcement.”

Alford said he already is hearing feedback from FSU’s coaches about what other schools are offering recruits and transfers. And he said many of those offers would not be allowed under the new House settlement.

He added that enforcement is going to be essential, “if we’re going to play by the rules.”

“I’m hearing other things that people are doing out there, and our coaches are informing me of this, my response is, ‘Well, that’s not legal in the new system. So they can’t be promising kids this,'” Alford said. “So the enforcement’s still what I’m talking to the conference mostly about. Everything they tell me, I’m in favor of, how strong it’s going to be. I just want it implemented.”

The new governance model, which will require all NIL agreements worth more than $600 to be approved by a clearinghouse, is expected to come with stiff punishments for schools that break the rules — punishments that are much harsher than those traditionally handed down by the NCAA.

“More information should be coming out real soon on that,” Alford said.

As part of the settlement, schools will be able to provide up to $20.5 million in television revenue with the athletes. Alford didn’t disclose the Seminoles’ official expected disbursement, but he did say they plan to be at the “highest level” possible.

“We have elected to be a part of it, and we’re gonna compensate — and are working on our budget — to compensate our student-athletes at the highest, elitest level that we can do,” he said. “So we can continue to compete for championships.”

Alford also said that some athletes’ NIL contracts have already been rejected by Deloitte, the accounting firm tasked with managing the clearinghouse.

“We’ve already had people inserting agreements, and agreements have already come back denied,” he said.

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