Ever since the NCAA approved name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals in July 2021, the landscape of college sports has undergone significant changes.
Before NIL deals became legal, the NCAA considered college athletes to be "amateurs," and programs were prohibited from paying them directly.
Multiple athletes fought against programs using their names, images, and likenesses because they believed they were entitled to compensation. They thought they deserved compensation because athletic departments were profiting from them.
NIL deals opened the door for athletes to be paid directly from outside sources, and players in major sports could openly transfer to schools that could provide them with the highest compensation.