Danielle Clifford, an associate in Troutman Pepper’s Corporate Practice Group, was quoted in the July 13, 2024 The News-Gazette article, “Big 10: What Will College Athletics Look Like Five Years From Now? (Part 2).”

With the implementation of Name, Image and Likeness laws allowing student-athletes to profit from their likeness, student-athletes are becoming increasingly powerful. Five years down the road, one aspect of college sports that will look different is the power dynamic between college coaches/universities and their student-athletes, especially if student-athletes are classified as employees.

In the future, we will see money and NIL ‘packages’ controlling the recruiting process because student-athletes now have a bargaining chip. In collegiate football, we may even see student-athletes making more than their position coaches.

This power shift is sure to shake up locker rooms across the country.

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