So… what are they ACTUALLY being paid for? For decades, college athletes couldn’t make a dime from their NIL. You’d never see a college athlete in a commercial, getting paid to sign autographs, or selling a jersey with their name on it. That all changed in 2021, when the NCAA allowed brands and fans to pay athletes for their name, image, and likeness. Then in 2025, another big shift hit. Even though schools had always used athletes’ names and faces on posters, billboards, and game programs, they weren’t allowed to pay their athletes directly. Now they can — and that’s generally called ‘Rev-Share’. Here’s what most fans miss 👇 Athletes still aren’t being paid to play. They’re being paid so their schools can use their NIL in marketing and promotions. If they were paid to play, they’d likely be classified as employees — and that would change college sports forever. (Unionization, workers comp, more lawsuits, etc etc.) Follow me for more on how money really moves in college sports...