University of Connecticut Athletics
6/9/2025 8:00:00โฏPM | General
Dear UConn Nation,
Inย Juneย 2020, a lawsuit was filed by a former college swimmer named Grant House, seeking damages for student-athletes who were unable to earn money from their name, image and likeness (NIL). This lawsuit and other similar cases were ultimately consolidatedย into what has been popularly referred to as the House vs. NCAA settlement.ย Now,ย five years later,ย U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilkenย has justย granted final approval of the historic settlement, which will reshape collegeย athletics through the introduction of revenue sharing with student-athletes starting on July 1.ย
As you know from my priorย communications, all of us at UConn have been closely monitoring the legal proceedings and making plans for this eventuality.ย Revenue sharing represents aย necessary and significant financial investmentย and,ย as such, we have been meeting regularly toย exploreย new and enhanced revenueย streamsย in order toย identify funding sources.ย Fromย bolstering ticket sales toย securingย additional corporate sponsorshipsย toย elevating media rights,ย we have been analyzingย every opportunity to enhance departmentalย income, while minimizingย or postponing expendituresย that don't carry an associated return.ย We areย alsoย studying possibleย naming rightsย initiatives,ย more robustย concession areas at our facilities,ย andย merchandising/apparelย salesย expansionย in the market.ย Maximizing revenues in theย new world orderย will beย a paramount priority.ย
The other critical element in ourย revenue generation efforts, which I have shared with our loyal supporters through myย emails, in person at games and throughย regularย conversations, is private fundraising.ย The House settlement permits athletic departments toย shareย up to $20.5 million annually with their student-athletes.ย This year, we intend to share $18 million, with theย near-termย goal ofย being fully funded.ย It is only with the support of our loyal fansย that we will be able toย thriveย in thisย evolving landscape, asย success in revenue sharing directly translates to successย onย the fields of competition.ย
As Iย haveย conveyedย previously, we need to double our overallย donor participation in terms ofย Husky Athletic Fund members and contributions,ย in order toย continueย competingย at the highest level.ย If we cherish theย joyย that is derived fromย conference, regional and national championships, along with bowl wins, weย need to lock arms and travelย this road together. Theย college athletics gameย has changed, but ourย focusย on greatnessย doesn't have to.
For those who already giveย soย generously, we appreciate you more than you know.ย Please join us in recruiting more fansย whoย understand the urgency andย willย makeย a gift to theย Fightย Onย Fund.ย With your help, we willย grow our base of support,ย produceย moreย winners,ย and share theย ongoingย pride in our achievements.ย
Thank youย for your dedication to UConn Athletics and our student-athletes. Go Huskies!
Sincerely,
David Benedict
Director of Athletics
