Drake athletes will be paid directly by the university when NCAA athletic programs begin a new era of revenue sharing, according to the university. New guidelines go into effect July 1 as part of a recently approved settlement allowing schools to pay athletes. Schools in the biggest conferences in college sports — including Iowa in the Big Ten and Iowa State in the Big 12 — will pay student-athletes directly and many are expected to reach or approach the maximum $20.5 million per year.Schools like Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference are permitted to opt in to the new guidelines as part of the settlement. Drake announced Friday it will opt in, meaning the university can pay student-athletes directly.Due to Pioneer Football League rules, Drake football players will not be able to be paid directly by the university. Football players can still earn compensation through NIL from outside sources, such as football camps.Drake Athletic Director Brian Hardin shared his thoughts in a letter to Drake supporters.”For us to remain competitive and relevant, we must be willing to adjust with the changing times, especially in the sport of basketball,” Hardin wrote. “The pride and enjoyment our men’s and women’s basketball teams have provided us in recent years has also served as a reminder to the significance their success has on the rest of the department.” Hardin also announced the creation of two separate funds — the Drake Men’s Basketball Excellence Fund and the Drake Women’s Basketball Excellence Fund — through which fans can donate directly to student-athletes. The funds will be managed by Drake Athletics.”These new funds are institutionally managed, tax-exempt, and focused on both recruitment and retention,” Hardin wrote. “They offer a clear, impactful, and compliant way to help Drake stay competitive while directly enhancing the student-athlete experience.”Hardin also says the excellence funds will be the preferred method of supporting student-athletes going forward.”In short, our basketball programs and the Drake Relays are the rising tide that lifts all other boats in our department,” he wrote. “In order for all of our student-athletes and sport programs to grow, we must position our basketball programs and Drake Relays to flourish.”The Drake men’s basketball program has made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and just advanced beyond the round of 64 for the first time in decades.The women’s program had made the NCAA Tournament five times since 2016-17 and has not had a losing season in the Missouri Valley Conference since 2012-13.You can read Hardin’s full letter here.Hardin also spoke with Michael Admire on the “515 Podcast” about the House settlement and Drake’s future in college athletics. You can watch that below.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Drake athletes will be paid directly by the university when NCAA athletic programs begin a new era of revenue sharing, according to the university.
New guidelines go into effect July 1 as part of a recently approved settlement allowing schools to pay athletes. Schools in the biggest conferences in college sports — including Iowa in the Big Ten and Iowa State in the Big 12 — will pay student-athletes directly and many are expected to reach or approach the maximum $20.5 million per year.
Schools like Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference are permitted to opt in to the new guidelines as part of the settlement. Drake announced Friday it will opt in, meaning the university can pay student-athletes directly.
Due to Pioneer Football League rules, Drake football players will not be able to be paid directly by the university. Football players can still earn compensation through NIL from outside sources, such as football camps.
Drake Athletic Director Brian Hardin shared his thoughts in a letter to Drake supporters.
“For us to remain competitive and relevant, we must be willing to adjust with the changing times, especially in the sport of basketball,” Hardin wrote. “The pride and enjoyment our men’s and women’s basketball teams have provided us in recent years has also served as a reminder to the significance their success has on the rest of the department.”
Hardin also announced the creation of two separate funds — the Drake Men’s Basketball Excellence Fund and the Drake Women’s Basketball Excellence Fund — through which fans can donate directly to student-athletes. The funds will be managed by Drake Athletics.
“These new funds are institutionally managed, tax-exempt, and focused on both recruitment and retention,” Hardin wrote. “They offer a clear, impactful, and compliant way to help Drake stay competitive while directly enhancing the student-athlete experience.”
Hardin also says the excellence funds will be the preferred method of supporting student-athletes going forward.
“In short, our basketball programs and the Drake Relays are the rising tide that lifts all other boats in our department,” he wrote. “In order for all of our student-athletes and sport programs to grow, we must position our basketball programs and Drake Relays to flourish.”
The Drake men’s basketball program has made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and just advanced beyond the round of 64 for the first time in decades.
The women’s program had made the NCAA Tournament five times since 2016-17 and has not had a losing season in the Missouri Valley Conference since 2012-13.
You can read Hardin’s full letter here.
Hardin also spoke with Michael Admire on the “515 Podcast” about the House settlement and Drake’s future in college athletics. You can watch that below.
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