Together We Transform Thursday – June 12, 2025

6/12/2025 10:00:00 AM

Together We Transform Thursday – June 12, 2025

The Dawning of a New Day for Division I
The reverberations of the seismic event that shook the landscape of Division I college athletics are still being felt, and Stony Brook stands ready to step into the reimagined era with a sense of power and purpose.

On June 6, Judge Claudia Wilken gave her final approval of the landmark House settlement that will forever change the game for student-athletes and athletic administrators. The settlement, which now allows institutions to provide direct financial benefits to student-athletes in the form of revenue sharing, has elicited reactions ranging from celebration to consternation.

If the advent of the transfer portal shifted the foundation of college athletics, NIL and revenue share have completely flipped it. The mountain of litigation challenging the NCAA's longstanding rules regarding amateurism and eligibility became too steep to climb, and a compromise was needed. The Power Five conferences (which has now shrunk by one after the initial dismantling of the Pac-12), as named defendants along with the NCAA, negotiated the terms of the settlement on behalf of all Division I institutions.

The question of whether to opt in to the terms of the settlement was an easy one for us. Prior to the CAA Board of Directors voting that all member institutions would opt in, we believed that the settlement represented the new operating system for Division I that would also provide maximum flexibility. It was also essential to maintain alignment with schools that compete at the highest level. Although there are challenges to navigate, we know that there are opportunities for schools like Stony Brook in this new landscape.

Financially speaking, we are embracing the new model and have entered into our first set of licensing agreements with select student-athletes. We will use funds from several sources, including fundraising, ticket sales, guarantee games and third-party sources. Our friends with the 1957 Club and CR-97, the collectives that have been instrumental in our initial foray into the world of NIL, will remain critical throughout this transition.

Our current investment level has us positioned for success in the CAA. Are there schools that are spending more than we are? It is no secret that the southern schools in our league (two in particular) are investing heavily, especially in the sport of men's basketball. We know, however, that if it only came down to money, then the most highly resourced institutions would win everything. Although this new model admittedly places a significant amount of pressure on our department to raise money and create new revenue streams, we are confident and optimistic as we step into this new space.

Each institution is facing this moment with eyes wide open. None of what we are facing has caught us by surprise. We are prepared and poised for success. There will be necessary changes from an organizational standpoint that will allow us to best support our priorities, but I am excited about the future and Stony Brook's ability to win in the new Division I ecosystem.

Ultimately, our core mission remains transforming the lives of our student-athletes through academic and athletic achievement. There is still something so powerful about impacting young people through their higher education journey, and the fact remains that I have never been more energized about what I have an opportunity to do each day.

This might be a new day for college athletics but the standard remains the same. We will never lose sight of what is truly important, and I invite you to join us as we undertake this fascinating adventure. Let's lock in, break through and prove to the nation that the Seawolves are coming strong!

Keep believing,

Shawn

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