#amateurism

#amateurism

When college athletes start signing endorsement deals, promoting brands on social media, and earning money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), the impact reaches far beyond personal profit. The shift has redefined the economics of college athletics by challenging long-standing ideas about amateurism, recruiting, and team balance. As athletes embrace newfound autonomy, universities and fans alike are left to ask: Is this transformation strengthening or undermining the spirit of college sports?

Then, last year, a friend invited me to her birthday kickabout a casual game of football, I gathered. (I believe some call it soccer.) Had we been less close, I might have made my excuses. Instead I turned up to the park, determined to keep as far away from the ball as possible. To my great surprise, I enjoyed myself. Instead of running down the clock on the sidelines, I got swept up in the game, rooting for my team to score.

The current college football season enters its third weekend with something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago: universities cutting actual paychecks to star players. Thanks to the $2.8 billion House v. NCAA settlement approved in June, schools can now share up to $20.5 million of their revenue directly with players across all college sports this year. That figure will climb by at least 4% annually over the decade-long agreement.

Luis, a 6-ft. 7-in. junior, was the top player in the transfer market, receiving starting offers in the $3 million to $4 million range for college opportunities.