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Up To Date

A $2.8 billion NCAA settlement over student athletes will change college sports forever

By Steve Kraske,
Zach Wilson
Published May 28, 2024 at 2:54 PM CDT
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The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences have agreed to pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims, a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.
Michael Conroy
/
AP
The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences have agreed to pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims, a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.

A $2.8 billion settlement involving the NCAA sent shockwaves throughout the college sports world last week, paving the way for colleges around the country to pay student-athletes directly for the first time.

A new settlement involving the NCAA and its "Power Five" conferences will pay nearly $2.8 billion in past damages to former and current college athletes. It will also pave the way for a brand-new revenue-sharing system for athletes moving forward.

Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star told KCUR that this change is historic.

"(It really is) the end of amateurism in college sports," said Kerkhoff. "Starting in the 2025-26 school year, schools are gonna have to basically have revenue-sharing with the athletes on campus. That's something that older people like me are just not used to seeing."

"And it opens up so many questions about athletes and being paid like professionals," Kerkhoff said. "What is the difference between a Kansas or Missouri or Kansas State athlete and a Royals or Chiefs athlete? They're all getting paid."

Tags
Up To Date PodcastNCAAsportscollege sportsAthleticshigher education
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Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Zach Wilson
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I construct daily conversations that give our listeners context to the issues of our time. I strive to provide a platform that holds those in power accountable, while also spotlighting the voices of Kansas City’s creatives and visionaries that may otherwise go unheard. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
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