Pat Kraft charts path forward for Penn State following House settlement

A new era of college sports began late Friday night with the official approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement from United States District Court Judge Claudia Wilken. But Penn State athletics is ready to meet the landscape with optimism, says athletic director Pat Kraft.

The next step in the progression of NIL into college athletics, the historic House agreement establishes the framework for Division I schools to pay student-athletes up to $20.5 million annually in revenue-sharing agreements beginning on July 1. The settlement also removes scholarship limitations, institutes roster caps, and creates the College Sports Commission as an oversight body, among other changes.

Kraft sets direction for Penn State athletics following House settlement

On Saturday, Kraft published an open letter to Nittany Lions fans outlining the path forward for Penn State athletics under the new operating structure. In addition to sharing the maximum amount of revenue and increasing the number of athletic scholarships, Kraft promised to embrace the university’s tradition while creating a dynamic environment for student-athlete growth.

“Since the Court’s initial approval of the settlement in July 2024, Penn State athletics has been preparing to meet the demands of this transformational change,” Kraft wrote. “We will share revenue with our student-athletes to the maximum allowable levels; through the new Legacy Fund and the existing Nittany Lion Club Excellence Funds, we will increase the number of scholarships we offer to our 800+ student-athletes, as the settlement removes NCAA scholarship limits; and we have developed ROAR Solutions, a powerful, dynamic group of resources assembled to deliver the best student-athlete NIL, endorsement and branding support in the country.

“While the world around us changes, our steadfast focus on supporting student-athletes and winning championships remains constant! We had a terrific 2024-25 academic and athletic year, and next year looks to be one of the best in our history, because of those successes, Penn State enters this new era of college sports in a position of strength and ready to attack this new collegiate landscape. While change can be difficult, it also can provide new opportunities, and I assure you we will embrace every opportunity this new model creates. We will continue to lean into our tradition of excellence to shine academically, emphasize the impact of a Penn State degree and alumni network, and pursue excellence in competition. Now, more than ever, we must rally together to ensure our student-athletes thrive and our legacy endures.”

In February, Penn State announced the creation of the Legacy Fund, which will use fees from tickets, concessions, and other athletics-related purchases to support resources for student-athlete scholarships and upkeep of the school’s 23 athletic facilities. The school also introduced ROAR Solutions, a conglomerate of NIL-based resources focused on forging brand partnerships for student-athletes.

You can read Kraft’s entire letter here.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on social media.