House vs. NCAA: President Charlie Baker set to relinquish control over NIL rules as $2.8bn settlement nears conclusion

The historic House vs. NCAA settlement is set to shake up college sports to its core as the matter before California judge Claudia Wilken nears its conclusion. The broad brushstrokes of the settlement include a revenue-sharing agreement between schools and student-athletes amounting to $20.5 million annually.

While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, NCAA president Charlie Baker dropped a bombshell. He revealed that the governing authority would relinquish control over the enforcement of the $2.8 billion House vs. NCAA rules that would come into effect on July 1 if approved.

"And so the power conferences' response to [the lawsuit] is to create an entity, the College Sports Commission," Baker said. "The point behind that was to have an entity that would see the cap management system and the third-party nil system, have rules associated with both. Create enforcement parameters for violating those rules under the rubric that would be the theoretical injunction."

According to an ESPN report, the Power Four conferences are set to champion the formation of the College Sports Commission, which will govern the new House vs. NCAA rules. The commission will oversee the revenue-sharing cap and the NIL deals that have become prevalent in college sports. Baker further revealed that the NCAA will still oversee sports betting and academic eligibility.

President Trump's House vs. NCAA commission halted

The impending approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement heralded the proposed formation of the college sports commission championed by President Donald Trump. Former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is expected to head it.

On Thursday, On3 reporter Pete Nakos revealed that plans for the implementation of the commission had been halted until further notice.

“Donald Trump’s presidential commission on college sports has been paused,” Nakos tweeted. “Expectation is commission will eventually be formed, but is being delayed as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz works to push through federal legislation.”

During an interview with reporters at the "Nick's Kids Golf Tournament" on Tuesday, Saban further poured cold water on the commission's existence and viability (6:00).

“I know there’s been a lot of stuff out there about some commission or whatever,” Saban said. “I don’t think we need a commission. I’ve said that before. I think we know what the issues are; we just have to have people that are willing to move those and solve those and create some solutions for some of those issues.”

Pete Nakos revealed that Texas Tech Red Raiders-affiliated billionaire Cody Campbell, who was tabbed to lead the proposed college sports commission alongside Saba,n will continue to work towards making it a reality.