OU Athletics Enlists Randall Stephenson As Executive Advisor Amid Major Shifts In College Sports

The University of Oklahoma has asked a prominent alum to lead the business of athletics moving forward.

Alumnus and former AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson was asked by OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione to help the program.

In an email to OU supporters, Castiglione wrote:

Randall, a proud OU alumnus, has proven the ability to navigate major industries through significant disruption like college athletics faces now. He served as chairman and CEO of AT&T from 2007-2020 and led the Fortune Five company through tectonic changes in multiple sectors. He also led and oversaw many new approaches to sports programming, media rights, and sponsorships.

Under his leadership, AT&T and its subsidiaries, working with its media partners, changed how America engaged with many of the world’s premier sports brands, including pioneering programming such as the NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV, the NFL Red Zone, NBA on TNT, MLB Playoffs, and NCAA March Madness on Turner networks. With Randall’s direction, AT&T executed sponsorships of some of America’s most iconic events, venues, and athletes, including The College Football Playoff, AT&T Stadium, Jordan Spieth, and Tiger Woods.

House v. NCAA Settlement Brings New Financial Obligations

OU Athletics faces increased costs due to the preliminary settlement in the House v. NCAA class action lawsuit, Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione explained. Under the settlement, the university will share revenue with student-athletes, requiring an estimated $20.5 million annually.

“We are prepared to share the maximum allowable revenues with our athletes,” Castiglione said.

In addition to revenue sharing, the settlement eliminates limits on athletic scholarships and introduces fixed roster sizes for each sport. Castiglione expressed confidence in OU’s ability to meet these demands while maintaining its commitment to 21 sports and self-sustaining operations, which rely on no public or student funding.

The settlement also mandates backpay for financial damages. “We are actively pursuing financial strategies to underwrite the increased expenses,” Castiglione said, highlighting efforts to explore new revenue streams and increase donor support.

What Is the House v. NCAA Settlement?

The House v. NCAA settlement is a landmark legal agreement that requires the NCAA and major conferences to compensate college athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, an issue that has been at the center of antitrust lawsuits.

The settlement, which totals $2.8 billion, will allocate funds to current and former athletes who were denied NIL earnings since 2016. A portion of the settlement also includes a revenue-sharing plan, with schools directed to distribute approximately $21 million annually to athletes.

October 7, 2024: Preliminary Injunction Clears the Path for Athlete Payments

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on October 7, 2024, paving the way for college athletes to start receiving direct payments from their universities. The decision is part of a $2.8 billion settlement with the NCAA that is expected to transform college sports.

State lawmakers are working to ensure that Oklahoma college athletes are able to compete on the national scale regarding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

“We know over the last few years that the NIL, the Name, Image, and Likeness Act, is rapidly changing,” said state Sen. Kristen Thompson (R-Edmond).

The preliminary ruling allows universities to pay players directly, separate from NIL deals. “It's definitely the wild wild west,” Thompson said. “My approach on this issue is it's kind of like; you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube, it's here.”

Oklahoma’s Proactive Legislation

Acknowledging the rapidly changing framework around NIL deals and college athletics, Thompson emphasized the importance of Oklahoma universities maintaining a competitive edge.

“The most appropriate thing to do is be proactive and offer our universities a way to respond because if we do nothing, we fall behind,” Thompson said.

Thompson authored a trigger law, Senate Bill 1786, allowing Oklahoma colleges to pay players directly if federal law or the NCAA permits such changes. Signed during the 2024 legislative session, the law gives universities flexibility to adapt.

“We made sure that we are leaving our universities some freedom to act in the event the situation changes,” Thompson said.

Related Coverage: Oklahoma Universities 1 Step Closer To Paying Student Athletes Directly

The Timeline for Settlement Implementation

The preliminary injunction laid out the following timeline for implementation:

1. Oct. 18, 2024: Former players were notified of the decision, and a claims period will begin for eligible athletes. Only those who participated between 2016 and the beginning of the NIL era in 2021 will qualify, though it is expected to involve athletes across many sports.
2. Dec. 17, 2024 (60 days after notice): The projected amount of money to be distributed will be made publicly available. Final payouts for individuals will depend on various factors.
3. Jan. 31, 2025 (105 days after notice): The window for submitting claims for compensation, opting out of the settlement, or filing objections with the court will close.
4. April 7, 2025: A final court hearing for approval of the settlement will take place.

Navigating a New Era with Strategic Leadership

To address these sweeping changes, OU Athletics has enlisted Randall Stephenson.

“Randall will help guide us into restructuring our budget for this new world of college sports,” Castiglione said. He added that Stephenson’s expertise in sports media rights, sponsorships, and governance will be instrumental in developing a professional-style model for OU football.

The model will include expanding a General Manager function and refining processes for talent acquisition, transfer portal management, and player development.

“College athletics remains unique, but adaptations that draw upon the professional model are necessary to compete at the highest level,” Castiglione said.