When the House v. NCAA settlement was approved this month, it was hailed as a historic shift in college athletics. The $2.8 billion payout to former athletes, paired with the option for schools to provide $20.5 million annually in direct compensation moving forward, marks a long-overdue correction to decades of inequity.

But behind the headlines, Olympic and non-revenue sports are facing an uncertain — and in many cases, grim — future.

As president of the U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association and a former Division I coach and athlete, I am deeply concerned about the unintended consequences of this new model. And I’m not alone.

The new revenue-sharing framework isn’t mandatory, but for Power Four programs and other competitive institutions, opting out likely means falling behind. That means athletic departments must find a way to fund as much as $20.5 million annually in athlete payments — a figure expected to grow over time.

Where will that money come from?

We’re already hearing the answer. Olympic and non-revenue sports are likely to face budget cuts, roster reductions, or full elimination. These sports rarely bring in media revenue or major sponsorship dollars, but they serve thousands of athletes and contribute directly to U.S. Olympic success.

They’re valuable in mission and purpose, but not in dollars. In this new financial era, that puts them in serious jeopardy.

The........

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