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NCAA, power conferences agree to allow schools to pay players

The NCAA and its five power conferences have agreed to allow schools to directly pay players for the first time in the 100-plus-year history of college sports.

The NCAA and its leagues are planning to alert plaintiffs' attorneys Thursday that they are prepared to move forward with a multibillion-dollar agreement to settle three pending federal antitrust cases, sources told ESPN. The NCAA will pay more than $2.7 billion in damages over 10 years to past and current athletes, according to sources. Sources said the parties also have agreed to a revenue-sharing plan allowing each school to share up to roughly $20 million per year with its athletes.