Beth Goetz discusses how Iowa is preparing for revenue-sharing with athletes

INDIANAPOLIS — Iowa Athletics is “running a lot of different models” as it prepares for eventual revenue sharing with athletes, athletics director Beth Goetz said Wednesday at Big Ten football media days.

“We are committed to competing at the highest level,” Goetz said. “A lot of work to do in the meantime, a lot of things to think through, but we’re committed to doing that and making sure our football program and all our teams continue to be successful.”

Direct revenue sharing with athletes is expected to become a reality in 2025-26 following the announcement earlier this year of a $2.8 billion settlement in the House vs. NCAA lawsuit. As part of the settlement, schools have the ability to pay up to a cap that is expected to be about $22 million (in addition to what an athlete makes in NIL).

Asked if Iowa plans to fully fund revenue sharing, Goetz said the goal is to “make sure you have the resources available to compete.”

The Associated Press reported Wednesday the full settlement agreement is expected to be finalized by the end of the week.

Roster limits are expected to be part of the settlement in place of scholarship limits, with three power-conference ADs telling the AP they expect the limit to be 105 for football. The current football scholarship limit is 85.

Iowa, which projected a record-high $150.5 million in revenue this year to the Board of Regents, may need to significantly change how it spends its resources.

“In some ways, you’re sort of rebuilding this whole plane while you’re trying to fly it,” Goetz said.

Goetz said the conversations in football and other sports have centered on “what’s most impactful for a program.”

“Is it in scholarships? Is it in that NIL payment component?” Goetz said. “Every dollar that we put into the system is going to need to have a clear ROI.”

That return on investment includes “how is it going to impact winning” and “how is it going to help them graduate and be good young men and women.”

“We want to understand where should we put our resources that it’s really going to help up win,” Goetz said. “And that’s when we’ll make a decision about what those numbers look like, where we put them and what adjustments we might have to make.”

The difficult budgetary decisions that could loom are not expected to include any cutting of sports.

“We’re not having any discussions about cutting sports right now,” Goetz said without an ounce of equivocation in her answer.

As each change in collegiate athletics happens, Iowa has needed to adjust its projections. Does that mean five different financial models? Goetz thinks the department “surpassed that several months ago.”

“Regardless of where that is, we’re going to be prepared to execute and move forward,” Goetz said.

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