After years of resisting changes that would permit student-athletes to receive compensation for the use of their names, images and likeness (NIL), the NCAA signaled a major shift on Wednesday. The Board of Governors—the NCAA’s highest body of governance—now supports modifications to rules so that college athletes can receive compensation for third-party endorsements. In general, this means that college athletes will be able to hire agents and sign endorsement deals without running afoul of amateurism rules and without losing their NCAA eligibility. The prospective changes would go into effect at the start of the 2021–22 academic year.
Specific changes have not yet been determined.