But with the House v. NCAA settlement on Thursday, the infiltration of private financing into college sports became all but official as the NCAA and the Power Five conferences came to the landmark agreement. The $2.8 billion settlement has opened the door to that influence.

Thousands of student athletes — both past and present — are in line to receive their share of a $2.8 billion settlement resolving an antitrust lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the nation's five biggest conferences.