The NCAA is about to implement roster reform, which will reshape the landscape of collegiate athletes at the Division I level.
A Yahoo! Sports report indicated that commissioners of the major power conferences have agreed to finalize an increase in roster sizes that will allow schools to allocate millions in scholarship dollars.
Among the expected changes is that the FBS will have a roster limit of 105, up from 85, the previous NCAA limit. It is unclear whether scholarships at the FCS level will expand, which currently sits at 63.
Division I Baseball will arguably see the biggest and probably long-overdue gain in scholarships. The sport will go from 11.7 scholarship spots to 34. Basketball will jump from 13 to 15. Softball will increase from 12 to 25, while volleyball goes from 12 to 18, according to the Yahoo! Sports report.
Yahoo! Sports notes that the new roster figures are “expected to be included in the long-form agreement in the landmark settlement of three antitrust cases,” including the House v. NCAA lawsuit.
The agreement is expected to be filed on Friday with details on the distribution of the $2.77 billion in back pay to former athletes as well as particulars of the new revenue-sharing model permitting Division I schools to distribute upwards of $20-plus million annually.”
The report also detailed that all sports will be considered “equivalency sports,” meaning partial scholarships can be distributed to players. Football, basketball and other sports are currently considered “head-count sports,” which require players on scholarship to receive a full grant.
Also, any increases in scholarships for men’s sports will have to be equaled in women’s sports to stay in compliance with Title IX.
