For years, college football and basketball players made millions for their schools, yet saw barely a dime beyond scholarships and small stipends. TV contracts, packed stadiums, jersey sales? Most of that cash went to universities, coaches, and conferences. A 2021 Chicago Booth study revealed just how lopsided it was: if college sports shared revenue like the NFL or NBA, top athletes would be making serious money—$2.4 million a year for star quarterbacks and $1.2 million for top basketball players. That kind of payday sounded like a dream. But now, after years of pushing back against NCAA rules, that dream is finally becoming reality.

Back in 2021, the NCAA finally gave student-athletes the green light to make money off their name, image, and likeness—aka NIL. Before 2021, if a player got

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