The organization and its member universities were making a fortune while the players whose talents and bodies fuelled college sports got nothing, or close to it. The Southeastern Conference had just become "the first to crack the billion-dollar barrier in athletic receipts," Branch wrote, in The Atlantic. "The Big Ten pursued closely at $905 million." TV rights had driven the deluge, along with "a combination of ticket sales, concession sales, merchandise, licensing fees."
Stanfield has worked with Travis Hunter, Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith. He's painted cleats worn by pros such as Travis Etienne Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Carlos Correa. He's even painted custom Nikes for Caitlin Clark. He's been customizing shoes for six years -- and he just turned 20. What started as a high school hobby has evolved into a successful side hustle. When he's not spray-painting kicks, he's playing wide receiver and taking classes at Houston Christian.
Calzada, who turns 25 on Saturday, said he sent the video to someone who had apparently criticized his play this season. In the video, Calzada tells the fan, "Hey, what you need to do, Garrett, is your ass needs to stop hatin' and go get you some money. But since you ain't got nothing, you go ahead and you can count mine." "Let's count," Calzada said, as he fanned the $100 bills. "Don't lose count, Garrett," Calzada continued. "Straight hundreds."
Perhaps this list of potential players of the year for 2025-26 will bring some calm to the chaos, a chance to look at who should be the best performers in each conference. Some seem easy to call -- there don't appear to be any true challengers to UConn's Sarah Strong in the Big East or Richmond's Maggie Doogan in the Atlantic 10 -- but other races like the SEC and Big 12 should be tight until the final day of the campaign.
I think what people need to understand, we need great leadership at this time across all levels. This is straight-up the most important moment in this league's history. This league's been around for 25-plus years and this is a moment we have to capitalize on.
In Chalmers, plaintiffs argued the NCAA's restrictions on NIL violated antitrust laws, asserting former athletes were unjustly deprived of lucrative compensation.
Why would I want to move the game to Sunday night and have a short week for our boys who were just told we're kicking off at high noon? It was never about moving the time of day. It was just, 'Hey do you want to move the day?' And I go, 'we're not moving. We're contractually obligated to this day.' That was it, but you know, the craziness is oh my God, they said no. I just said no to Sunday. I gotta go to church. I mean, hot dang.
