A federal judge approved a landmark settlement allowing college athletes to receive millions of dollars annually. The agreement, resulting from a lawsuit challenging the NCAA's amateurism model, permits schools to share up to $20.5 million with athletes yearly and allocates $2.7 billion over a decade to former players. While benefiting top athletes, the deal raises concerns about walk-on athletes losing opportunities. The ruling shifts power toward major conferences, impacting nearly all 1,100 NCAA member schools and nearly 500,000 athletes. The decision follows prior rulings against the NCAA's restrictions on athlete compensation, marking a significant professionalization of college sports.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.