Nico Iamaleava, No. 8, of the Tennessee Volunteers during the Duke-Mayo Classic against North Carolina at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 7, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina Warming up before state wolf pack.
Jared C. Tilton | Jared C. TiltonGetty Images
The University of Tennessee will increase season ticket prices for all sports by 10 percent in preparation for athletes to begin receiving a cut of the school's athletic revenue, according to an email sent to football season ticket holders on Tuesday.
Tennessee calls its increase a “talent fee” and says it “will help fund the proposed revenue share for our student-athletes,” according to the email.
Athletic departments have been preparing for revenue sharing following proposed settlements in three cases involving the NCAA. worry Some provisions will be discussed this month, but Tennessee believes it could take effect as early as July 1, the email said.
The proposed settlement would pay $2.78 billion in back wages to student-athletes and allow schools to pay athletes 22% of the average Power Five school athletics revenue for the coming year, according to a news release from the NCAA. It would also remove caps on scholarships.
“As the college model changes, we must remain flexible,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in the video included in the email. “We must continue to lead the way. The connection between resources and competitiveness has never been stronger, and only now have we been able to share those resources with our student-athletes.”
The changes will take effect from the 2025 football season, with single-game ticket prices increasing by 4.5%.
Tennessee already has one of the largest athletic departments in the country, ranking eighth in total operating revenue for the 2022-2023 season sports Database for public university athletic departments.
Since 2021, college athletes have been allowed to monetize their names, images and likenesses, dramatically changing college sports. Star athletes have been able to sign big endorsement deals, but colleges have not yet begun direct revenue sharing that would benefit more student-athletes.
