Auriemma Declares Title IX Defunct as NIL Rules Shift
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Geno Auriemma said Title IX legislation is 'pretty much out the window' for big-conference women's sports, implying it no longer ensures equal funding.
- Auriemma noted that revenue-sharing payouts of $20.5 million per school do not guarantee women's basketball receives the same amount as football and men's basketball.
- The Trump administration rescinded Biden-era Department of Education guidance that required schools to equitably distribute direct NIL payments to male and female athletes, raising concerns about funding bias toward revenue sports.
- Kenny Brooks, Kentucky women's basketball coach, echoed the funding struggle, saying he came to Kentucky for consistent investment and will continue fighting for equal opportunities.
- Auriemma criticized the two-site regional format in the women's tournament, arguing that first- and second-round games should be hosted on campuses to sell out, not at neutral sites.
- Auriemma addressed Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack's complaint about UConn subregional placement, noting he doesn't know why her team repeatedly gets lower seeds.
Why it matters: The erosion of Title IX enforcement and the Trump administration’s NIL guidance reversal shift financial advantage to revenue‑rich men’s sports, leaving women’s programs and athletes with less guaranteed funding and fewer equity protections.
