The NCAA is going to ask all Div. I schools "to share
the pain" in its $54.5M settlement in the restricted
earnings case, according to Doug Tucker of the AP. Under a
plan approved this week by the NCAA Div. I Management
Council, payments into the settlement fund would range from
a low of around $77,000 for small schools, to a high of
around $240,000 for the largest schools. Though smaller
schools said that they should have to pay little or nothing
at all, the larger schools stressed that it was the smaller
schools who voted for the rule. The sum will begin to be
paid out in about 6-8 months to the roughly 2,000 coaches in
various sports whose annual salaries were "unlawfully
capped" by the NCAA at $16,000 (AP, 4/15). USA TODAY's
Steve Wieberg writes that the plan, which still must await
final approval next week from the NCAA's Board of Directors,
will obtain funds for the settlement from the following
sources: $18.125M from the NCAA's revenue-sharing pool,
taking more from upper-end Div. I schools that annually
receive more; $18.125M in equal payments from all Div. I
schools; and $18.25M in reserves that have been set aside by
the NCAA over the last two years. Schools now must come up
with $40,000 to $57,000 each in the next three weeks --
possibly through a special loan program (USA TODAY, 4/15).
WHO PAYS WHAT? The following lists the conferences with
the highest and lowest average payments per school. Highest
five: ACC ($239,989), Big Ten ($227,680), SEC ($197,864),
Pac 10 ($195,855) and Big 12 ($195,122). Lowest five: Trans
America ($76,674), Northeast ($77,128), Big South ($77,724),
Mid-Eastern ($78,241) and Mid-Continent ($79,165) (NCAA).
