The world of sports continues to evolve and expand. The contracts are getting bigger, the expectations are growing, and so is name, image, and likeness (NIL), revenue sharing, and the transfer portal have taken college sports to places we never thought we would see it go.
Suddenly, the narrative has shifted from student-athletes struggling to make ends meet to now these young men and women are free to hop from school to school in pursuit of untold riches. Student-athletes have become increasingly affluent, able to spend lavishly on themselves while supporting their families. So far, most of the stories have been positive, with student-athletes now able to reap the benefits of their hard work.
Students like former University of Houston star shooting guard L.J. Cryer were able to make a handsome sum along with other student-athletes from around the state. And why not? Schools and coaches have profited nicely off their blood, sweat, and tears. In 2025, student-athletes gained an additional revenue stream with the landmark NCAA vs. House settlement, which now allows Division I schools to share up to $20.5 million in profits with their student-athletes.
It was a no-brainer that schools like University of Texas, Texas A&M and University of Houston would opt in. Still, even the SWAC, which includes Prairie View and Texas Southern, opted into the lawsuit settlement to be able to share profits with their student athletes. Times have definitely evolved.
