Building the Plane While Flying It: College Athletics Faces NIL Turbulence
The early signing period for non-football college sports marks a significant shift toward a more professionalized model, with schools like Arizona issuing historic NIL revenue-sharing contracts directly to athletes. This transition introduces complexities, including unclear enforcement mechanisms, funding gaps between sports, and legal uncertainties about these agreements, all amidst a rapidly evolving landscape. As schools "frontload" deals ahead of the July 2025 revenue-sharing deadline, the system faces scrutiny over fairness, sustainability, and its potential to reshape college athletics permanently.