There is a new dawn in college sports.

After months of deliberation, judge Claudia Wilken approved the House v. NCAA settlement, requiring universities to pay athletes. The ruling means players will get a portion of the billions of dollars in broadcast revenue they help generate and will be exempt from being official university employees. The settlement states schools will be allowed to provide $20.5 million annually to athletes; funds can also be used to recruit high schoolers, which previously could not be done.

Back pay of $2.8 billion will go to collegiate athletes who competed between 2016 and 2024, according to CBS Sports .

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The settlement consolidated three federal antitrust cases: House v. NCAA, Carter v

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