Oklahoma makes athletic department cuts in belt-tightening move ahead of House v. NCAA settlement

Facing the financial pressures tied to the upcoming House vs. NCAA settlement, the University of Oklahoma has begun laying off athletic department staff in preparation for a new era of athlete revenue sharing. According to an internal email obtained by OU Daily, the layoffs were announced to staff Wednesday and confirmed by the university Thursday. Athletic director Joe Castiglione described the move as a "limited reduction in force," calling it a necessary restructuring as the department adjusts to the growing realities of compensating athletes.

Associate athletic director Mike Houck told OU Daily that about 5% of the department's 302 full-time, non-student employees — roughly 15 positions — were affected. Castiglione also informed staff in the email that he would be reducing his own salary as part of the department's cost-cutting efforts. According to Sportico, Castiglione's latest total compensation stood at $1.93 million, ranking him as the fifth-highest-paid athletic director among those included in its analysis.

"This is the only expected reduction in force for the department," Castiglione wrote in the email obtained by OU Daily. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to you and to the mission that drives us: serving our student-athletes and representing the University of Oklahoma with pride and integrity."

In a separate letter to Oklahoma fans in February, Castiglione outlined the university's plan for the new revenue-sharing model, stating the department would allocate the maximum $20.5 million in athlete compensation starting July 1, highlighting the financial adjustments required to meet these new obligations.

The House vs. NCAA settlement arose from a landmark lawsuit challenging the NCAA's restrictions on athletes profiting from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). A federal court ruled those restrictions violated antitrust laws, prompting the NCAA to implement a revenue-sharing framework. This shift represents a historic change in college athletics, requiring all schools — even the big-name universities like Oklahoma — to restructure their budgets and staffing to accommodate direct compensation for athletes. An approved settlement from Judge Claudia Wilken has been delayed over multiple issues but is expected to be agreed upon in the coming days.