As the landscape of college athletics evolves, donors to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund – the SMU revenue-sharing program – power SMU Athletics efforts to support our student-athletes and compete successfully with top athletic programs across the nation.
Now that the NCAA allows schools to distribute up to $20.5 million annually to student-athletes, SMU donors provide the funds needed to directly support Mustangs.
SMU Athletics has entered a new era, distinguished by excellence in academics and competition. Your investment supports SMU Athletics to powerfully contend in the ACC and compete effectively in whatever the future brings.
Donors to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund make an immediate impact on the student-athlete experience. By investing in our revenue-sharing program, you strengthen our ability to compete for years to come.
Damon Evans, SMU Director of Athletics
Since 2013, SMU has invested over $400 million in championship facilities, dynamic programming and student-athlete support. Incredible donor support has propelled Mustang Athletics to unprecedented success in its first year competing in the ACC and brought national attention to SMU.
By making gifts to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund on top of your support for SMU Athletics, you provide crucial resources to enhance our competitiveness as we enter the new world of revenue sharing. Accordingly, the Mustang Club awards loyalty points for all contributions to SMU Athletics, including the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund.
For more information about opportunities to strengthen SMU Athletics through gifts that support the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund, please contact Joshua Whittenburg, associate athletics director for development, at jwhittenburg@smu.edu or 214-768-3315.
Starting in July 2025, the NCAA allows schools to share a portion of their athletics revenue – $20.5 million in the 2025-2026 fiscal year – directly with student-athletes to alleviate financial pressures and provide a share of the income the student-athletes help generate. Because the vast majority of universities don’t generate sufficient revenue from athletics alone, schools can raise funds to reach the $20.5 million allotment.
The plan took effect July 1, 2025.
Universities can share up to $20.5 million in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The amount is expected to increase annually by 4%.
Revenue sharing and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) are distinct yet interconnected. Revenue sharing, stemming from the House v. NCAA settlement, allows athletic departments to directly pay student-athletes a portion of their revenue. NIL, on the other hand, enables athletes to monetize their personal brand through endorsements and sponsorships. While both involve athlete compensation, revenue sharing is school-driven and controlled, while NIL often involves student-athletes partnering with businesses to promote brands.
NIL deals with businesses who wish to partner with SMU student-athletes; these agreements will remain in place and are separate from revenue-sharing payments. The Student-Athlete Benefit Fund gives SMU student-athletes an additional financial benefit on top of their NIL deals.
Only schools that fully fund their revenue-sharing programs will have the resources to compete at the highest levels for top talent. To remain nationally relevant and continue to compete at the top of the ACC, gifts to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund are necessary on top of gifts to the ACC Competitiveness Campaign, Mustang Athletic Fund, and other SMU Athletics priorities.
Gifts for the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund are given to the University and dispersed directly to students. Donors who give to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund access key benefits including tax deductibility, strategic use of funds directed towards SMU student-athletes, naming opportunities based on amount given, and priority access to athletic events and exclusive experiences. Now that the House v. NCAA settlement is in effect, gifts that were formerly made to the Boulevard Collective can be made directly to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund.
Gifts to the Student-Athlete Benefit Fund may be tax-deductible. Please consult your tax attorney or advisor to determine deductibility.