Roster Limits Set for Tulane, Other Colleges in House Settlement

If approved, the House vs. NCAA settlement will increase rosters for nearly every major college sport that participates.

Dec 27, 2023; Annapolis, MD, USA; Tulane Green Wave defensive back Lance Robinson (7) reacts after linebacker Tyler Grubbs (not pictured) scores a touchdown after recovering a Virginia Tech Hokies fumble during the first quarter at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The House vs. NCAA settlement continues to have a significant impact on the future of college sports, one in which Tulane will have to weigh its level of participation.

The latest update is that the conference commissioners agreed to the roster limits that will accompany the long-form version of the settlement, which is set to be filed in court on Friday, per multiple reports. From there, a judge will have to approve.

Among the things that the judge will approve is the revenue-sharing model set to be adopted as part of the settlement. Athletic programs can opt-in or opt-out to a model that allows them to share a portion of their revenue with student-athletes. That revenue pool is likely to be maxed out at anywhere from $20-22 million.

The settlement also allows for the elimination of the current by-sport scholarship restrictions and allow schools to offer scholarships to all rostered players.

If the settlement is approved by a judge, then these new guidelines would take effect for the 2025-26 athletic season.

The roster limit for football would be 105. Men’s and women’s basketball would be allowed 15 spots each. Baseball would get 34 spots, softball would get 25 spots and volleyball would get 18 spots.

It’s an increase of more than 60 roster spots. Football programs currently have 85 players on scholarship. The settlement would allow for an increase of 20 scholarships.

Men’s basketball would go up by two. Volleyball would go up by six and softball would go up by 13. Baseball would see the most dramatic shift, as it would bring the addition of 22.3 roster sports and, by extension, scholarships.

The settlement will provide some flexibility. Schools won’t be required to distribute scholarships to each player and can offer grants to a portion to leave walk-on opportunities. That could be useful in football, where programs can carry up to 20 walk-ons to help with workouts, and baseball, which typically uses grant-in-aid money to help players pay for the education.

But, to do this, a school like Tulane would have to opt-into the model. While most power conference schools have already announced they will opt in and are planning for the revenue sharing for next year, those programs have television contracts big enough to allow them to do it.

Does Tulane? Does any American Athletic Conference school have the ability to do so?

That’s a decision the Green Wave will have to make soon, if it hasn’t already.