College sports faces its biggest upheaval in a century as SEC regulations push amateur athletics toward a professional model that threatens the traditional values of collegiate competition.

At a Glance

• A proposed House settlement could soon allow schools to pay athletes directly, ending the traditional amateur status of college athletes
• The NCAA’s NIL policy has been evolving for nearly four years, with recent developments enabling athletic departments to directly compensate athletes
• SEC and Big Ten conferences are pushing for playoff structures and revenue models that further divide wealthy programs from less affluent ones
• Olympic sports may receive reduced funding under new revenue-sharing models, potentially undermining America’s Olympic development pipeline
• The SEC has increased penalties for field/court storming to a flat $500,000 fine regardless of previous violations

The End of Amateur Athletics

The landscape of college sports is undergoing a fundamental transformation as SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and other power brokers push for direct payment to athletes. A proposed House settlement could soon permit schools to pay athletes directly, establishing a revenue-sharing model with a $20.5 million cap. The settlement also includes provisions for a clearinghouse for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and an enforcement arm to ensure compliance, signaling the end of traditional amateur status that has defined collegiate athletics for generations.

Current regulations governing college sports are a patchwork of state laws, legal settlements, and NCAA rules, with no single governing body overseeing implementation. This regulatory confusion has created disparities between programs and conferences, with top-tier schools benefiting significantly more than mid-major programs. Recent issues, such as Tennessee’s split with quarterback Nico Iamaleava over a deal dispute, highlight the ongoing challenges with athlete compensation and regulation.

“I don’t want to say [amateurism] is going to die, but it will certainly be the commercial aspects that are going to permeate”, said David Hedlund.

Power Conferences Reshape College Sports

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, along with Big Ten leadership, is actively working to increase the disparity between wealthy and less wealthy college sports programs. These conferences are pushing for a playoff structure that would guarantee them more automatic bids, potentially disadvantaging other conferences. The proposed 16-team playoff format would favor the SEC and Big Ten with four automatic bids each, while the Big 12 and ACC would receive only two each, further cementing power in the hands of these elite conferences.

This concentration of power has drawn criticism from government officials. U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle warned that the SEC and Big Ten’s actions could harm major college football and suggested congressional hearings into their practices. Despite these concerns, college sports leaders are seeking congressional help to avoid an employee-employer relationship with athletes, which they argue could financially harm many programs and ultimately reduce opportunities for student-athletes.

“I don’t lecture others about good of the game and coordinating press releases about good of the game, okay. You can issue your press statement, but I’m actually looking for ideas to move us forward.”, said Greg Sankey.

https://t.co/ZdiP971mIW

— John Reed Stark (@JohnReedStark) October 12, 2024

Impact on Olympic Sports and Student Experience

The changes rippling through college athletics could have far-reaching consequences beyond football and basketball. Olympic sports, which often don’t generate significant revenue, may receive reduced funding under the new revenue-sharing models. Sankey himself highlighted this concern at the CAA World Congress of Sports in Nashville, noting: “When you change the economics of college sports, you alter the Olympic development program in this country.” This potential reduction in support for Olympic sports could weaken America’s international competitiveness.

Meanwhile, the SEC has increased penalties for universities whose students and fans storm football fields or rush basketball courts, imposing a flat $500,000 fine for each incident regardless of whether it’s the first or subsequent occurrence. This represents a significant increase from the previous tiered system established in 2004, which started at $100,000 for first offenses. The change reflects growing concerns about safety but also further removes spontaneous celebration from the college sports experience.

“Not that anyone listens to my football media days speeches, but in 2019, the line was, ‘When you change the economics of college sports, you alter the Olympic development program in this country,'”, said Greg Sankey.

A New Era for College Athletics

Despite these seismic changes, college sports viewership remains strong, with recent NCAA tournaments drawing large audiences. The financial incentives provided by NIL deals appear to be keeping some athletes in college longer, as evidenced by a decrease in early entrants for the NBA draft. This suggests that while the amateur model may be eroding, fan interest in collegiate competition remains robust for now, even as the system undergoes profound changes.
NCAA President Charlie Baker has voiced support for the framework allowing schools to pay athletes, viewing it as a step toward stability and sustainability in college athletics. Yet as regulations continue to evolve, the challenge remains to balance necessary reforms with preserving what makes college sports unique: the spirit of competition, school pride, and the development of student-athletes as both competitors and scholars. The coming years will determine whether collegiate athletics can maintain its distinctive character or will simply become another form of professional sports.