The Akron Zips have hopped into another new era of college sports.
Colleges throughout the nation received the green light to begin directly sharing revenue with student-athletes on July 1 as a result of the House vs. NCAA settlement approved last month by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken.
The University of Akron has opted in to pay its athletes, rolling out an initiative UA is calling the Competitive Excellence Fund. In an unprecedented development, UA is able to compensate Zips athletes for the rights to use their name, image and likeness.
The terms of the House vs. NCAA settlement include approval for each Division I school to share as much as $20.5 million (the figure being used, at least for now) with athletes during the next year. Akron made no mention of a dollar amount for a cap in its announcement, but the school emphasized its fund will play a crucial role in recruiting, retaining and evaluating the development of its Division I athletes.
“Akron athletics has a proud history of athletic and academic achievement, and yet the future is brighter than ever with the advent of the Competitive Excellence Fund,” new Zips athletic director Andrew T. Goodrich said in a news release. “This fund empowers our fans, alumni, and donors to make investments that will directly benefit students in a fashion unlike we’ve ever been able to offer in the past.
“For the first time in history, our supporters can make tax-deductible donations associated with these licensing payments that allow our head coaches to provide direct funding to recruit and retain our best and brightest students.”
In previous years, the Fear the Roo Collective facilitated the payment of Zips athletes through the external support of NIL deals. Akron announced its new Competitive Excellence Fund and the Fear the Roo Collective will coexist.
UA stated supporters who wish to donate to the Competitive Excellence Fund can designate their gift for a specific sport or the athletics department in general. However, donations through the new fund cannot be directed toward a specific Zips athlete. Instead, head coaches will determine how those funds are allocated, according to UA.
Below are some lightly edited questions and answers Akron included in its announcement:
What is the University of Akron’s new Competitive Excellence Fund?
The Competitive Excellence Fund is a new initiative launched by Akron athletics to support Zips athletes through enhanced benefits, including compensation related to their name, image and likeness.
Is the University of Akron paying Zips athletes?
With the approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement, NCAA Division I institutions are permitted to provide additional benefits to student-athletes. One of these new benefits includes NIL agreements between the university and student-athletes, where the university may license and compensate the student-athlete for the use of their name, image and likeness. These payments will not be funded through student tuition dollars. They will come from athletics-specific revenue sources, like donations to the Competitive Excellence Fund.
What is the House vs. NCAA settlement?
On June 6, 2025, a federal court approved a settlement in class-action lawsuits against the NCAA and several Division I conferences challenging the previous restrictions on NIL compensation. This became the House vs. NCAA settlement. Key highlights include allowing institutional NIL payments to athletes (within a capped amount), introducing roster size limits for each sport and expanding athletic scholarship opportunities across all sports. The newly created College Sports Commission will oversee the implementation of these provisions. For more information, visit www.collegesportscommission.org.
How is this different from NIL support through the Fear the Roo Collective?
The Fear the Roo Collective is a supporter-driven initiative designed to promote Zips athletes and enhance the overall athletics experience. By channeling private support into key areas such as training, recovery, nutrition and facilities, the collective plays a vital role in helping Zips athletes thrive on and off the field. It also creates NIL opportunities, giving fans and supporters a direct way to invest in what they’re most passionate about. They have been instrumental in Akron’s NIL efforts and will continue identifying and creating NIL opportunities for Zips athletes.
The Competitive Excellence Fund, managed by Akron athletics, supports department-led investments like increased athletic scholarships, institutional NIL agreements with Zips athletes and other student-centered benefits newly permitted under the House vs. NCAA settlement.
The Zips Athletic Club will continue to offer impactful fan engagement opportunities and exclusive access to UA athletes, coaches and teams. As a key part of Akron’s NIL fundraising strategy, Zips Athletic Club members play an essential role in enhancing the overall student-athlete experience.
Will the Fear the Roo Collective go away?
No. The collective will continue its important work and complement the efforts of the new fund.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On social media: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: University of Akron opts in to House vs NCAA settlement, reveals plan to pay Zips athletes
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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