Impact of paying college athletes

It's the new era of college sports, and it's expensive. We'll look at the impact of a $2.8 billion settlement that allows universities to pay players for the first time ever.

Air Date: June 10, 2025 12:00 pm

(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

A federal judge ruled Friday that colleges and universities can now pay student athletes for the first time in history. The landmark $2.8 billion settlement is the latest update in the battle over compensation in the rapidly changing NCAA.

The decision means schools can profit-share with athletes through ticket sales, media rights and sponsorships, but it comes with significant hurdles. With little direction on how the money should be allocated, will sports that bring in less revenue be left behind? And will paying college athletes ruin what made college sports special—or fix a system that was always unfair?

On this episode of Studio 2, we’ll talk about the future of college athletics.

Guest:

Laine Higgins, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal

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