Show them the money

College athletes can now (officially, officially) get paid by their colleges.

A ruling by Judge Claudia Wilken ends three different antitrust lawsuits brought against the NCAA, all of which claimed it was illegally limiting athletes’ earning power. The NCAA will pay $2.8B in back damages to athletes who competed since 2016, and going forward, each school can pay student-athletes (up to a certain limit).

For 2025-26, each school’s student-athlete payroll is expected to be capped at $20.5M; that limit will increase each year over the next decade. 

Payments from the salary pool are in addition to scholarships and other benefits athletes could already receive. Student-athletes can also still sign their own NIL (name/image/likeness) deals, but those will now be monitored by an independent group called the College Sports Commission.

Verse to consider whether or not the judge’s ruling gave your bank account a boost… “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 (CSB) (read full passage)