With the NIL era, schools with more money to lure top-level athletes via high school recruitment or the transfer portal have the clear advantage. The NCAA’s $2.8 million settlement is only adding to this, and even the big colleges have realized how unfair that system is.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has gone on the record to say that things must change, and it should be a big top-down and sweeping one, suggesting that players should be treated as employees and be given the same benefits, as well as getting them collective bargaining and also implementing salary caps on these college students.
“You’ve got to admit the players are employees. Then you can build collective bargaining. We’ve all talked about it. But you have to admit they’re employees.”
“You’ve got to admit the players are employees. Then you can build collective bargaining. We’ve all talked about it. But you have to admit they’re employees.”
— Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, saying on the record what pretty much everyone is saying off the record. pic.twitter.com/oDnaZ6YDYL
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) July 10, 2025
“College needs to instigate and to build that type of system so we don’t have the same four or five, six schools that pay the most amount of money at the end of the season or at the playoffs, Mike Gundy told insiders Andy and Ari.
This was when Gundy was asked how this would be implemented, and this was his answer:
“Well, you gotta restructure the system, you gott admit that the players are employees, and then you could build a collective bargaining, we have all talked about it. But you have to admit that they are employees,” Gundy answered.
This then led the conversation to touch on schools having salary caps.
“And then you need an entry salary cap, like you need an entry level for a high school player coming in because it’s not sustainable,” he noted.
Back in June, a judge signed a ruling that was worth $2.8 billion in settlement. However, this did allow schools to begin paying their athletes directly despite doing away with the outdated amateurism rules from major college sports. The settlement also controls roster tampering as NIL deals will now be subjected to review.
Mike Gundy Took a Pay Cut That Resulted In More NIL Funds To Recruit More Players
Mike Gundy has been very vocal about these NIL ideas, and this was evident when he took a pay cut after discussions that he would be fired if he did not restructure his deal with the school. This led to Gundy lowering not just his salary, but also his $25 million buyout.
Reports revealed that by lowering his salary and his buyout, Gundy now has additional NIL funds to get more players. This was not the first time that he had agreed to have his salary lowered, as he had previously agreed to take a $1 million pay cut back in 2020.
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