South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley spoke at length about revenue sharing for the first time during an Aug. 13 podcast appearance with former First Lady Michelle Obama, recorded June 10. She addressed the challenges of maintaining control as college athletics evolves, especially under new rules allowing schools to pay athletes up to $20.5 million annually starting July 1, in addition to NIL earnings.
Staley revealed her players must sign NDAs regarding the payments they receive. Obama noted that players don’t need to know what teammates earn. Staley acknowledged that some athletes might still share their earnings, leading to tension or even transfers, but said she is transparent about why pay differs between players. She typically handles these conversations directly with athletes and agents, noting that shared representation can increase the risk of information spreading.
While South Carolina hasn’t disclosed how funds will be distributed, Staley estimated that around $20 million per school will primarily go to football and men’s basketball, with smaller portions for women’s basketball and Olympic sports. She admitted revenue sharing complicates recruiting, citing examples of athletes using one school’s offer to leverage more money from another. Staley emphasized staying within budget and avoiding overpromises, instead finding creative ways to support players such as participating in the inaugural Players Era Women’s Championship in November, where athletes could collectively earn over $1 million in NIL opportunities.
Though she supports the new system and believes it’s overdue, Staley stressed the importance of maintaining balance keeping the sport amateur in nature while allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness.
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