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New ScientistMAY 30
Judge Approves $2.8B College Sports Settlement
Above: Joley Mitchell of the Texas Longhorns looks on against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during game three of the Division I Women's Softball Championship series held at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium on June 6, 2025, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Image copyright: Justin Tafoya/Contributor/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This settlement finally gives athletes their fair share of the billions they generate through their talent and hard work. For too long, players have been denied compensation while schools and conferences have profited massively from their talents. The new system provides long-overdue financial benefits and creates stability after years of chaotic NIL rules.
Narrative B
The professionalization of college sports threatens the educational mission and amateur spirit that make college athletics special. This pay-for-play system fundamentally creates an unsustainable arms race where wealthy schools will dominate recruiting, and smaller programs will suffer, potentially destroying the competitive balance and the opportunities that thousands of walk-on athletes traditionally enjoyed.