SYRACUSE, N.Y (NCC News) — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has recently agreed on the decision to allow college athletes to receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
This decision comes after years of debate from athletes and other colligate representatives. This change is already shifting the landscape of college sports today.
There are a few individuals who are unhappy with a payout for college athletes. A lot of those that oppose the new agreement feel that it gives too much money to teens and young adults who aren’t ready finically responsible.
Those that are in favor of the new changes feel that this change in college sports is exactly what the players deserve.
The director of football operations and recruiting at the University of St. Thomas, Reid Johnson, thinks that this new plan is just what college football needs.
“I think it’s a big change, and a positive one, first off, I think it’s good that players are able to be compensated through NIL,” said Johnson.
This multi-billion dollar agreement will allow each school to share up to $20 million per year with their athletes.
The NCAA’s choice showcases a big shift from their longstanding stance on amateurism, which has been criticized for years for its restrictive rules and lack of financial support for the athletes. Not only will current athletes receive compensation, but previous ones as well.
The NCAA has plans to divvy out payments to current and former athletes over a 10 year span. Over $2.7 billion are going to be awarded to over 14,000 athletes. Despite various opinions of whether the NCAA’s new agreement is a good or bad, it is clear that college sports will never be the same.
As exciting as these new changes are for sports lovers and athletes, there are several steps that need to be taken before collages can begin paying their athletes. It is likely that these new rules in won’t go into affect for several months.
