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From KQED.

Music From KQD in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.

This weekend kicks off the start of the college football season, and for the first time ever,

players coming on the field can expect

a payment from their schools.

While college sports is a multi-billion dollar business in the United States, schools were

barred from giving direct compensation until a landmark court ruling in June changed the

rules.

This follows a bizarre era where players could make money as influencers and

company spokespeople but not as players. And still with the new plan, it's unclear how much

students will earn and how this is all going to work. We're talking about the massive shift in college

sports. That's all coming up next right after this news.

Welcome to Forum. I'm Alexis Madrigal.

There's always been something weird about college sports.

And I say this as a lifelong college sports fan. For decades, amazing players turned so-called amateur football and basketball teams into massive commercial

juggernauts, making billions of dollars for schools, conferences, and the NCAA itself,

while many athletes struggle to pay for basic necessities. As well, conferences, and the NCAA itself, while many athletes struggle to pay for basic

necessities. As we'll hear this morning, a series of legal cases and settlements and all kinds

of stuff have broken that legacy, but what's happened since then has been wild and remains

perhaps far from ideal.

...