Blab Sports
University of Kentucky Students Produce Research Brief on NCAA Revenue Sharing
In a classroom at the University of Kentucky, a senior’s research brief is already reshaping how college sports talk about revenue sharing.
Cameron Carnegie, a senior in the university’s sport leadership program, completed a research and insights course that produced a brief on how revenue sharing is reshaping college sports after the House v. NCAA settlement. The brief, released by the university’s Future of Sport Institute, examines the new distribution model that allows Division I schools to share athletic‑department revenues with student‑athletes.
The course was taught by Dr. Kwame Agyemang, the George and Betty Blanda Endowed Professor in Sport Leadership. He paired sport‑leadership undergraduates with the Future of Sport Institute to create a research‑based brief. Agyemang explained that the class used familiar sports debates to demonstrate that strong opinions are common and that evidence can move the conversation forward.
Carnegie said the most valuable part of the project was practicing new interviewing skills while contacting college athletics professionals. "While I had done interviews prior to this course, none of them particularly focused on gaining valuable insights, let alone what to do with them once you have them," he said. He added that he learned how to compile insights, taking observations and information from the interview to make deeper interpretations.
Sophomore sport‑leadership major Sophie Bellovin noted that the experience changed her perspective on research. "It has shown me how important it is to ask thoughtful questions and look deeper into the impact NIL has on athletes beyond just the financial side," she said. Bellovin highlighted that interviewing sport leaders gave the team insightful details about their perspectives and what they do for college athletics.
Agyemang emphasized that the brief was intended to be a tangible product students could use in future interviews. "I wanted the course to produce something tangible they could walk into interviews with and speak with credibility about what they’ve done and what they learned," he said. He added that applied learning helps students stand out because they can point to a finished product, explain their process, and describe their specific contributions.
Dean Nick Pace, Ph.D., of the College of Education, said the project illustrates how UK connects classroom learning with Kentucky’s strong sports traditions. "There’s no place in the country better situated to guide the next generation of leaders across the sports industry," he said. He noted that combining expert faculty with passionate students and the university’s Division I athletics history prepares students for exciting careers.
Carnegie reflected that the course showed him how enjoyable research can be and that the hands‑on approach helped the content truly stick. "College sports is a field that is always changing and one I hope to work in," he said. "Prior to taking this class, I would have emphatically stated that research was not something I was interested in or saw fitting in my career. I found that not only can research be interesting but it’s potentially something I look to pursue later in life."
The brief examines revenue sharing in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement, which allows Division I schools to distribute athletic‑department revenues to student‑athletes. The settlement was approved by the court on June 6, 2025, and the research brief aligns with ongoing discussions about name‑image‑likeness (NIL), revenue‑sharing models, and governance structures in college athletics.
The project demonstrates how the Future of Sport Institute integrates academic research with industry practice. Students produce briefs that inform conversations about revenue sharing, NIL, and the evolving landscape of college sports. The brief is available on the institute’s website, and the students plan to use the experience in future roles within the sports industry.
Cameron Carnegie, a senior in the university’s sport leadership program, completed a research and insights course that produced a brief on how revenue sharing is reshaping college sports after the House v. NCAA settlement. The brief, released by the university’s Future of Sport Institute, examines the new distribution model that allows Division I schools to share athletic‑department revenues with student‑athletes.
The course was taught by Dr. Kwame Agyemang, the George and Betty Blanda Endowed Professor in Sport Leadership. He paired sport‑leadership undergraduates with the Future of Sport Institute to create a research‑based brief. Agyemang explained that the class used familiar sports debates to demonstrate that strong opinions are common and that evidence can move the conversation forward.
Carnegie said the most valuable part of the project was practicing new interviewing skills while contacting college athletics professionals. "While I had done interviews prior to this course, none of them particularly focused on gaining valuable insights, let alone what to do with them once you have them," he said. He added that he learned how to compile insights, taking observations and information from the interview to make deeper interpretations.
Sophomore sport‑leadership major Sophie Bellovin noted that the experience changed her perspective on research. "It has shown me how important it is to ask thoughtful questions and look deeper into the impact NIL has on athletes beyond just the financial side," she said. Bellovin highlighted that interviewing sport leaders gave the team insightful details about their perspectives and what they do for college athletics.
Agyemang emphasized that the brief was intended to be a tangible product students could use in future interviews. "I wanted the course to produce something tangible they could walk into interviews with and speak with credibility about what they’ve done and what they learned," he said. He added that applied learning helps students stand out because they can point to a finished product, explain their process, and describe their specific contributions.
Dean Nick Pace, Ph.D., of the College of Education, said the project illustrates how UK connects classroom learning with Kentucky’s strong sports traditions. "There’s no place in the country better situated to guide the next generation of leaders across the sports industry," he said. He noted that combining expert faculty with passionate students and the university’s Division I athletics history prepares students for exciting careers.
Carnegie reflected that the course showed him how enjoyable research can be and that the hands‑on approach helped the content truly stick. "College sports is a field that is always changing and one I hope to work in," he said. "Prior to taking this class, I would have emphatically stated that research was not something I was interested in or saw fitting in my career. I found that not only can research be interesting but it’s potentially something I look to pursue later in life."
The brief examines revenue sharing in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement, which allows Division I schools to distribute athletic‑department revenues to student‑athletes. The settlement was approved by the court on June 6, 2025, and the research brief aligns with ongoing discussions about name‑image‑likeness (NIL), revenue‑sharing models, and governance structures in college athletics.
The project demonstrates how the Future of Sport Institute integrates academic research with industry practice. Students produce briefs that inform conversations about revenue sharing, NIL, and the evolving landscape of college sports. The brief is available on the institute’s website, and the students plan to use the experience in future roles within the sports industry.
