'We're all in': UH ready to spend as judge decides the future of college sports

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- University of Houston athletic director Eddie Nuñez affirmed his commitment to pay his school's athletes the maximum allowed under new NCAA rules.

The new revenue sharing with athletes is expected to go into effect on July 1.

"We're all in. We're going to do this the right way," he said.

Nuñez anticipates UH will join other leading college athletic departments in directly paying their athletes an annual total of $20.5 million. Some of that money is expected to go to scholarships, but most will be paid directly to athletes. The amount distributed to each sport is still under consideration.

Beyond that, Nuñez joins everyone else in college sports who awaits a final ruling from a federal judge in California.

READ MORE: Texas House gives first approval to bill that would allow universities to pay student-athletes

Judge Claudia Wilken is weighing a settlement that will pave the way for direct payments to athletes. Some coaches hope the settlement will provide "guardrails" on previous NIL payments that many believe have spiraled out of control, with reports of high-profile football and basketball players receiving $3 to $4 million a year.

Nuñez told ABC13 on Thursday that UH's commitment will allow the school to fend off other schools that want to lure their star athletes with promises of more money. The key, he said, is "to keep and retain student athletes who want to be here."

Nuñez also said he continues "active" discussions to extend Kelvin Sampson's contract at UH. The Cougars' AD said those contract talks are nearing the finish line. "We're very close," he said.

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