Not too long ago, it would have been unheard of for collegiate athletes to be able to earn a living based off of their athletic ability on the field. What some would call the myth of amateur athletics was the sacred cash cow of the NCAA. Multiple lawsuits have been filed challenging these unfair and horrific standards over the last 10 years.

If necessity is the mother of invention, then crisis could quite possibly be the mother of reform. According to ESPN, in March of 2020, the NCAA board of governors voted to distribute less than half of what it normally sends to Division I schools. The cuts amounted to $375 million, while it normally distributes roughly $600 million. In fact, many major college football programs were fighting to hold some sort of college football season for fear that the lack of TV revenue would completely decimate their athletic departments. The University of Oregon reported a $65 million overall loss for example. Oregon is a powerful program that has put many college athletes into the NFL, NBA, MLB and the Olympics.