Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman recently shared an open letter with fans, outlining both the current challenges and future opportunities facing the University of Wyoming’s athletic programs as college sports undergo significant change, 7220sports.com reports.
Burman emphasized that Wyoming Athletics remains committed to a student-athlete-centered model, stressing the importance of maintaining Wyoming’s competitive spirit and fostering fan support as the department navigates this evolving landscape.
In his letter, Burman acknowledged concerns from fans who feel that collegiate athletics are shifting away from traditional values.
“I understand your concerns and greatly appreciate your perspective,” he wrote.
Burman assured fans that despite ongoing changes, Wyoming Athletics will continue to prioritize student-athletes’ academic and athletic success, ensuring they represent the university and state with pride.
The university is investing in several major projects to enhance student-athletes’ experience. The War Memorial Stadium renovations are progressing, and construction has started on a new aquatics center to replace the aging Corbett Pool. Burman expressed excitement about these facilities, which he believes will benefit not only UW students but also Wyoming youth who use the pool.
Burman addressed the anticipated impact of the House Settlement, an agreement between the NCAA, its conferences, and representatives of various student-athlete class actions, which has been tentatively approved and is scheduled for final approval in April 2025. Under this settlement, starting in Fall 2025, universities will be able to share revenue directly with student-athletes. Wyoming, however, faces financial challenges as the settlement will reduce NCAA funding by approximately $550,000 annually.
Additionally, the settlement sets a revenue-sharing cap of around $20 million for universities and imposes roster limits for the first time, which could mean reducing some rosters at UW by Fall 2025. The settlement also provides $2.8 billion in NIL back payments for Division I athletes who played between 2016 and 2021. To fund this, the NCAA will decrease the financial distributions to institutions across the board.
Despite these challenges, Burman is optimistic.
“Some will refuse to be at the forefront of this new reality and fall behind their competition. We will not be one of those institutions,” he wrote.
Burman underscored Wyoming’s commitment to remaining competitive and recruiting top talent. Burman encouraged fans to support student-athletes by attending games, donating to the Cowboy Joe Club, and engaging with the 1WYO Collective, Wyoming’s NIL program.
“Many of our counterparts will reduce expenses… or eliminate sports altogether,” Burman explained.
He added that while these cuts could affect some schools, he views them as a last resort for Wyoming.
Burman urged Wyoming fans to stay involved, highlighting their vital role in helping the university adapt to the shifting landscape.
“We need all passionate fans who bleed Brown and Gold to help us compete in this new era of intercollegiate athletics,” he wrote.
Burman acknowledged the value of continued support through ticket purchases, donations, and program engagement.
Burman’s message underscored the strong bond between Wyoming Athletics and its supporters.
“We have the best fans in the Mountain West, and at a time like this, we need each and every one of them, more than ever to contribute in any way they can,” he said.
As Wyoming Athletics prepares to implement revenue sharing and strengthen its NIL initiatives, Burman expressed confidence in the program’s future.
“We can and will be successful. We can and will be champions. We must – We are Wyoming!”
