The Changing World of College Sports

It’s been nearly a year since a landmark NCAA ruling gave student-athletes the ability to earn money off their name, image, and likeness (NIL) – and players are cashing in big.

💰 A deeper dive...

• For instance: Alabama QB Bryce Young signed nearly $1 million worth of NIL deals last year before even throwing a single pass, LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne has reportedly had deal offers in the seven-figures, and a class of 2023 5-star football recruit reportedly signed a record $8 million NIL deal last month.
• But there may be trouble brewing in paradise. "A number" of schools are being investigated for violating the NCAA’s only rule when it comes to NIL deals – no paying a player specifically to attend or play for a certain school.

🇺🇸 Zoom out: The brand-new NIL industry isn't the only major shake-up to college athletics within the past year. The NCAA also approved a measure allowing all student-athletes to transfer one time without having to sit out a season; over the next few months, a record 1,464 men's basketball players left for a different school.

• And the SEC recently accepted two new members – Oklahoma and Texas – who'll join the conference in all sports beginning in 2025, while the Big 12 snagged four replacement schools to join as soon as next year (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF).