The NCAA is Dead, Long Live the Game

Welcome to the end of amateurism—and the chaotic beginning of whatever comes next.

In the wake of a landmark antitrust settlement, House v. NCAA, the college sports universe is undergoing the kind of radical reboot that would make even Silicon Valley sweat. Forget the NCAA you knew. The new era belongs to NIL deals, direct paychecks, EA Sports metrics, and one very unlikely sheriff in Bryan Seely.

The Collapse and Rebuild

The House v. NCAA settlement approved in June 2025 effectively ended the traditional notion of "student-athlete." Schools are now allowed to directly compensate athletes, with a cap of $20.5 million per school in 2025–26, a number expected to rise each year. Crucially, this cap is based on an average of Power Five school revenues—a formula that drags down the overall number and may further widen the gap between SEC juggernauts and smaller market programs.

Athletes are still not classified as employees, but they now have access to something long denied: revenue-sharing. In parallel, roughly $2.8 billion in back pay will be distributed to athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024. It’s overdue. It’s imperfect. But it’s finally here.

The New Enforcement Arm: Bryan Seely and the College Sports Commission

In what might be the most significant power shift of all, a new independent enforcement body called the College Sports Commission has been formed. Leading it is Seely, a former MLB executive and tech-savvy whistleblower best known for exposing gaping holes in Google Maps—not for profit, but for public safety.

Seely’s appointment signals a radical change in tone. He’s not tethered to any conference or campus politics. He’s independent, fearless, and fluent in the language of data, tech, and integrity. In a world where NIL marketplaces are increasingly digital and influence-driven, Seely brings both cybersecurity chops and a much-needed moral compass. The new Wild West has a sheriff.

The EA Sports Effect

EA Sports College Football 26 will reward schools based not on AP rankings, but on actual in-game usage. If your favorite team is selected in one percent of all games played, it gets one percent of the royalties. This shifts power from pollsters to players, and from committee rooms to living rooms.

It’s not just a payout model; it’s a form of fan engagement never before seen in college athletics. If you’re a Michigan fan, you now face a philosophical dilemma: play with a better team like Ohio State, or stick with your alma mater knowing every rep contributes real dollars. Suddenly, loyalty is monetized.

The Paul Finebaum Warning

But not everyone is sold on the future. ESPN's Paul Finebaum called it: "Women's sports in my opinion will be hurt, Olympic sports will be rushed, Football & Basketball will win. The NCAA is essentially DEAD! The damage that has been done is incalculable."

He’s not wrong. New roster caps replacing scholarship limits threaten over 10,000 walk-on opportunities. Without guaranteed spots, non-revenue sports and overlooked athletes could be phased out entirely. A proposed "designated student-athlete" status may offer lifelines, but it's clear who wins in this model: football and basketball.

NIL: Not Just Followers, but Fundamentals

NIL collectives should be viewed as marketing sectors—not just vehicles for pay-for-play. It’s important to use resources to leverage athletes' marketability. Marketability is key, but it can’t be reduced to likes and followers alone. Social media presence should only be one piece of the equation, with talent and business acumen carrying more weight.

Followers often reflect status, not necessarily marketability. But if an athlete understands how to leverage their following to generate income, that skill is worth its weight in gold. Therefore, athletes should not only continue to refine their athletic craft but also develop the business techniques to capitalize on their assets beyond the field.

The truth is, sports can open doors to success—but there are countless factors along that journey that separate the “haves” from the “once had.”

What Comes Next?

The financial, cultural, and structural implications of this shift are staggering. Schools must now balance budgets, possibly trim other programs, and navigate legal landmines related to Title IX and state NIL laws. Some see this as a path to collective bargaining. Others fear it’s a death knell for what made college sports feel... collegiate.

But one thing is certain: the reset button has been hit.

Seely, EA Sports, NIL collectives, and a $2.8 billion apology to past athletes have ushered in a brand-new game. The NCAA might not be dead, but its monopoly on control is. And in its place, a digital-first, athlete-powered era has begun.

The question now isn’t what college sports used to be. It’s what we want them to become.