Colleges Are Now Allowed to Pay NCAA Athletes Directly After Ju…
Source: Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Colleges Are Now Allowed to Pay NCAA Athletes Directly After Judge Approves Settlement The NCAA’s amateurism model has officially been reshaped. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken gave final approval to a $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA case, marking a monumental turning point in college sports history. Starting […]
Colleges Are Now Allowed to Pay NCAA Athletes Directly After Judge Approves Settlement
The NCAA’s amateurism model has officially been reshaped.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken gave final approval to a $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA case, marking a monumental turning point in college sports history.
Starting July 1, NCAA Division I schools will be permitted to compensate athletes directly, forever altering the dynamic between collegiate athletics and the business of sports.
For the first time, athletes will receive direct payments from their schools.
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RELATED | Top 20 Female College Athletes With The Highest NIL Valuations
These funds are guided by a salary cap, initially set at $20.5 million per school, which will increase over the next decade.
This cap represents 22% of total revenue from sources such as ticket sales, broadcasting, and sponsorships.
Most of these funds will likely go to sports that generate the most revenue, including football and basketball, though schools will have flexibility in how they allocate this money.
Beyond paying current athletes, the settlement includes a substantial $2.8 billion damages pool to compensate former athletes who played from 2016 to 2024 and were ineligible for name, image, and likeness (NIL) earnings during their careers.
The settlement not only allows schools to pay athletes but also introduces new structures to monitor and enforce these payments.
The College Sports Commission, a new enforcement body, will oversee compliance, ensure salary caps are respected, and review NIL contracts for fairness.
Deloitte will manage an NIL clearinghouse to vet endorsement deals and curb inappropriate financial arrangements, such as booster-backed contracts designed to bypass team salary caps.
This decision has brought college sports into what some are calling a “professionalized framework.”
For decades, athletes were restricted to scholarships and modest benefits while schools raked in billions from game-related revenues.
Now, student-athletes will receive a share of these profits, aligning their compensation more directly with the value they generate for their institutions.
NCAA President Charlie Baker praised the decision, calling it:
“a huge step forward for college sports.”
However, this isn’t the end of the transformation.
The move sets the stage for further discussions around creating a more sustainable regulatory structure, potentially involving federal legislation to address outstanding legal challenges.
While historic, the agreement isn’t without obstacles.
The introduction of salary caps and formal compensation frameworks may invite future lawsuits, especially around Title IX compliance and the fairness of enforcement practices.
Additionally, some worry the changes will widen the divide between wealthy programs and smaller schools that may struggle to meet financial expectations.
The settlement also raises questions about the future role of NIL collectives, as schools begin to manage payments in-house.
Critics argue that overly stringent regulation of NIL deals could spark further litigation.
The NCAA settlement is a groundbreaking achievement, promising to improve athletes’ lives while modernizing an outdated system.
However, as college sports leadership navigates this uncharted territory, the coming years will undoubtedly present additional tests and opportunities for reform.
For now, though, athletes and advocates alike can celebrate the long-awaited recognition of their contributions to the multi-billion-dollar industry of college sports.
The Dawgs just added another game-changer to the family. Buford’s own Tyriq “Ty Boogie” Green, a dynamic 4-star athlete from the Class of 2026, has officially committed to the University of Georgia, choosing the Dawgs over top programs like Miami and Auburn. Once seen as a tough pull, Buford is quickly becoming a UGA pipeline, […]
The Dawgs just added another game-changer to the family.
Buford’s own Tyriq “Ty Boogie” Green, a dynamic 4-star athlete from the Class of 2026, has officially committed to the University of Georgia, choosing the Dawgs over top programs like Miami and Auburn.
Once seen as a tough pull, Buford is quickly becoming a UGA pipeline, and Ty Boogie is the latest elite talent to keep that momentum going. With elite production on both sides of the ball, Green brings versatility, leadership, and a true “do-it-all” presence to Athens.
“I feel like it’s family,” Green said of UGA. “They practice hard, they stay ready, and they believe in me.”
Guided by strong relationships with Coach Travaris Robinson and Kirby Smart, Green joins a stacked DB class — and proves Georgia continues to recruit and retain the very best from its backyard.
Congratulations, Ty Boogie! The G just got better.
Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford, former blue-chip recruit and top returning player, arrested on suspicion of DUI
Getty Images Tahaad Pettiford, one of Auburn’s top returning players next season, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of DUI. The sophomore point guard and former five-star was stopped in Lee County, Alabama, per the sheriff’s office database. Bond was set at $1,000. “We are aware of the situation, and we will handle internally with Tahaad […]
Tahaad Pettiford, one of Auburn’s top returning players next season, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of DUI. The sophomore point guard and former five-star was stopped in Lee County, Alabama, per the sheriff’s office database. Bond was set at $1,000.
“We are aware of the situation, and we will handle internally with Tahaad and his family,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement. “We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.”
Pettiford averaged 11.6 points per game last season as a first-year star, helping the Tigers reach the Final Four. Prior to Pettiford withdrawing his name from the 2025 NBA Draft in May, Pearl raved about his ability and influence on the 2025-26 team if he chose to return.
“Je’s going to have to play an expanded role, which I know is something that is exciting to him — and probably exciting to our fan base, too, because we’ll get to see more of him,” Pearl said, via Auburn Undercover. “He’ll be a starter. There will be more on him.”
According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, Pettiford “had a robust NIL package awaiting back at Auburn” on a deal believed to be worth more than $2 million. He returned to the Plains this summer after failing to get a first-round grade following his performance at the NBA Combine.
With heavy personnel losses coming off the fantastic season, Auburn has added several transfers to bolster the roster around Pettiford, including forward Keyshawn Hall (UCF), big man KeShawn Murphy (Mississippi State), guard Kevin Overton (Texas Tech) and wing Elyjah Freeman (Lincoln Memorial). JUCO pickups Abdul Bashir and center Emeka Opurum will help, too.
NHL Draft Analyst Pits 22-Year-Old Panthers Winger’s Salary vs. Gavin McKenna’s NIL Deal With Penn State
The Florida Panthers just won their second straight Stanley Cup, but here’s what nobody saw coming: one of their young players is making barely more than a college kid who hasn’t even been drafted yet. Mackie Samoskevich signed for $775,000 while 17-year-old Gavin McKenna just landed a $700,000 NIL deal at Penn State. That’s a […]
The Florida Panthers just won their second straight Stanley Cup, but here’s what nobody saw coming: one of their young players is making barely more than a college kid who hasn’t even been drafted yet. Mackie Samoskevich signed for $775,000 while 17-year-old Gavin McKenna just landed a $700,000 NIL deal at Penn State. That’s a $75,000 difference between a Stanley Cup champion and a teenager.
Why Is Mackie Samoskevich Making Only $75,000 More Than Gavin McKenna?
The Panthers lifted the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive time in 2024-25, beating the Edmonton Oilers again. The Panthers kept their core together, including the star trio of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand. GM Bill Zito delivered on his promise of retaining all three and pulled off what seemed impossible.
Along with keeping the big names, the team re-signed right-winger Samoskevich to a contract worth $775,000 with a cap hit of the same amount. His deal runs through 2026, after which the 22-year-old will become a restricted free agent.
Meanwhile, college NIL deals keep reaching jaw-dropping numbers. McKenna’s NIL deal with Penn State has left many in the hockey community speechless. The NIL deal is worth $700,000 and played a significant role in McKenna’s decision to choose the school. His commitment to join the Nittany Lions came months after the NCAA lifted its ban on Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players from competing at colleges in the United States in November 2024.
Penn State’s NIL offer doubled Michigan State’s $300,000 proposal. The choice was clear for McKenna. However, the 17-year-old said his decision to commit to Penn State went beyond just the money. He explained that while the Western Hockey League is great, he wanted to be part of a more challenging and competitive environment to become NHL-ready.
“Both options were great, but I just think going to college, being in such a great conference, it’ll really challenge me and prepare me,” said McKenna.
McKenna’s decision ultimately came down to more than just the financial package. But when you look at the numbers side by side, the contract comparison becomes even more eye-opening.
What Makes This Contract Comparison So Striking?
McKenna’s time with the WHL was short but packed with highlights. After his standout performance, in which he recorded 129 points in 56 regular-season games, he was named the CHL Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season. Given his talent level, the Penn State NIL deal makes sense.
But as The Athletic’s Jesse Marshall points out, Samoskevich of the Panthers only earns $75,000 more than McKenna. Given the Panthers’ championship status, you’d expect the 22-year-old to command a much higher salary.
The reality is that Samoskevich isn’t eligible for an offer sheet yet, which significantly hurts his bargaining position. Without enough experience, the Connecticut native can’t benefit from offer sheet leverage. The lack of offer sheet eligibility gave the Panthers complete control over contract negotiations, keeping other teams out of the picture entirely.
The winger, who has 31 points in 72 regular-season games in 2024, was offered the league minimum salary of $775,000. From the Panthers’ perspective, their hands were tied. Zito likely stretched the budget to its limits after working to retain Bennett, Ekblad, and Marchand. Zito’s decision to re-sign Samoskevich shows the team’s confidence in the 22-year-old’s future, even if the contract doesn’t reflect typical market value for a Stanley Cup winner.
James Hagens’ underlying numbers show even more potential
Poll anyone in the hockey community and they would say that James Hagens’ freshman season at Boston College was a disappointment. However, it’s safe to say that expectations are rising with some of the freshmen who come into the NCAA now, and Hagens’ season was a massive success by most standards. Imagine starting your NCAA […]
Poll anyone in the hockey community and they would say that James Hagens’ freshman season at Boston College was a disappointment. However, it’s safe to say that expectations are rising with some of the freshmen who come into the NCAA now, and Hagens’ season was a massive success by most standards.
Imagine starting your NCAA career as a 17-year-old, being in contention for the first overall pick in the NHL, recording a point-per-game over the entire season, and then having people say that your year was a disappointment. While some freshmen do enter a situation like Boston College and put up more points, Bruins fans should be dancing in the streets that a player of Hagens’ calibre was available to them at seventh overall.
Suppose the points aren’t enough to keep the experts from calling Hagens a disappointment. In that case, NHLFoley on X has recently released a set of NCAA player cards, which show some of the underlying numbers that you won’t find on an EliteProspects page. If there was anyone in Boston who still wasn’t sold on their newest top prospect, this card should tell the whole story.
I went through the arduous process of adding nearly 6,000 rows of NCAA data to my player cards last night
On the other side? Some of the most vindicating cards Ive seen
My favorite — James Hagens was an absolute star this year. #NHLBruins
Hagens had some eye-popping numbers this past season, which includes an 86% generation statistic. It helped that he played with Ryan Leonard and Oliver Moore for most of the season, but the fact that the coaches trusted him to be on the ice with those players for the entire season shows that he was an essential cog in that line. Foley’s card shows that Hagens was the fourth-best forward in Hockey East, which is only reserved for the best of the best as a freshman.
@NHLFoley coming in clutch with this updated player card on James Hagens.
Say what you want about Hagens and why he fell into the lap of the #NHLBruins
Point per game in the Hockey East as 17 year old, I’ll take that all damn day.
— Drop the Mitts Hockey (@dropmittshockey) July 8, 2025
Drop The Mitts Hockey summed up everyone’s thoughts when looking at this player card. It’s easy to see the areas where Hagens has to improve and possibly why six other teams passed on him, but the good news is that they are things he can fix. Hagens was abysmal in puck battles and turnovers, but that comes from not being the most massive player at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds.
Hagens has a desire to sign with the Bruins this summer, but it’d be in his best interest to return to Boston College and work on getting bigger and stronger in a league that has more time to practice and hit the weight room. If Hagens can make that happen this season, his battle numbers are bound to rise.
If the rest of the numbers stay the same and those rise, we could be looking at the Bruins’ next generational player.
Paige Spiranac Grabs Attention On Golf Course Friday In ‘Perfect’ Outfit
Paige Spiranac Grabs Attention On Golf Course Friday In ‘Perfect’ Outfit originally appeared on The Spun. Paige Spiranac continues to prove she’s simply better than most content creators. Prior to becoming a full-time social media influencer, Spiranac played college golf at San Diego State. She earned all-conference honors twice and won a Mountain West title during […]
Paige Spiranac Grabs Attention On Golf Course Friday In ‘Perfect’ Outfit originally appeared on The Spun.
Paige Spiranac continues to prove she’s simply better than most content creators.
Prior to becoming a full-time social media influencer, Spiranac played college golf at San Diego State. She earned all-conference honors twice and won a Mountain West title during her time with the Aztecs. Her success at the collegiate level led to her competing on the developmental Cactus Tour.
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Despite retiring from professional golf at a young age, Spiranac hasn’t abandoned the sport. For starters, most of her social media content revolves around the game she grew up loving. Additionally, she helps out the Grass League, a high stakes Par 3 league that’s currently in its second season.
“I am joining the front office at Grass League, yay!” Spiranac said on her YouTube channel earlier this year. “I will be joining the front office which means that I will be focusing on brand development, fan engagement, marketing, content strategy, seeking out new talent, team owners, and acquiring sponsorships.”
Speaking of her social media content, Spiranac left some of her fans speechless heading into the weekend.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 16: Paige Spiranac attends the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2024 Issue Release and 60th Anniversary Celebration at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)Mike Coppola/Getty Images
On Friday afternoon, Spiranac went viral for sharing a slow-motion video of her driving the ball in a pink Alo dress,
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Unsurprisingly, the latest video showcasing Spiranac’s attire received plenty of attention from her followers. Most of the complimented her appearance.
“Love that dress,” one fan commented.
“It would be a dream come true to play a round of golf with you,” a second fan wrote.
“If you wear that to the Creator Classic I like your chances,” another fan declared.
Spiranac is getting herself ready for the Internet Invitational. She’ll compete in a field that features former NBA champion J.R. Smith, comedian Andrew Santino, former NHL players Keith Yandle and Ryan Whitney among others.
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There’ll be plenty of eyes on Spiranac when this tournament begins on Aug. 12.
Paige Spiranac Grabs Attention On Golf Course Friday In ‘Perfect’ Outfit first appeared on The Spun on Jul 11, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Livvy Dunne Gets Celebrity Troll Treatment While Attending Twins Game at Target Field
The Minnesota Twins are playing the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night, in the first of a three-game weekend series at Target Field. On a beautiful summer night in Minneapolis, with Nelly scheduled to perform after, the Twins’ home stadium was at capacity by first pitch. But it wasn’t just the 2000s postgame rap concert that fans […]
The Minnesota Twins are playing the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night, in the first of a three-game weekend series at Target Field. On a beautiful summer night in Minneapolis, with Nelly scheduled to perform after, the Twins’ home stadium was at capacity by first pitch.
But it wasn’t just the 2000s postgame rap concert that fans flocked to Target Field for this evening. In fact, there may have been just as many people there for tonight’s starting pitcher matchup between two 2025 All-Stars, the Twins’ Joe Ryan and the Pirates’ Paul Skenes.
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It’s one of the better pitching matchups the Twins have hosted in recent memory. Ryan entered the night with a 2.76 ERA and 0.891 WHIP in 104.1 innings. Skenes is one of the only pitchers in baseball who’s looked better than Joe this season, posting a 1.94 ERA and 0.922 WHIP in 116 innings.
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Livvy Dunne in town watching Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates
One of the more notable fans in the house tonight, possibly to watch both Nelly and Skenes, is internet sensation and former LSU gymnast, Livvy Dunne, who started dating the Pirates’ 23-year-old phenom starter when the two were both attending Louisiana State University.
If you have ever been to Target Field for a Minnesota Twins game, or any MLB stadium, you’ve probably seen the production crew play a game on the scoreboard called, “celebrity look-a-like”, where they scan the crowd for celebrity doppelgangers.
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Some finds are better than others. But in Minneapolis tonight, the Target Field production crew used the game to troll Livvy Dunne, putting a photo from the internet on one side and a live shot of Dunne in the stands on the other.
Dunne trolled by Target Field production crew
The standout gymnast — who has 5.4 million followers on Instagram and 8 million on TikTok — seemed to enjoy the moment, which she posted a video of on social media, along with other photos of her attending the Twins vs Pirates game.
Related: Former, Current Wolves Owners Uninterested in Buying Minnesota Twins
Livvy Dunne was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2024. Her and Paul Skenes are seen together all the time and she often travels with him to road games, along with attending plenty of home games in Pittsburgh.
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She does not live with Skenes in the Steel City, however. Originally from New Jersey, Dunne — who made millions in NIL money before moving on from her collegiate gymnastics career — lives in New York.
Livvy’s housing aspirations made news earlier this week when she was denied by a local co-op board after submitting an offer to purchase Babe Ruth’s old house. Most recently, Dunne’s biggest public career venture came as the cover girl for the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.