Deion Sanders’ Close Friend Sends Clear Message on NCAA as CU HC Faces Unexpected $20.5m Twist of Fate

College football just hit the “new era” button—and it’s jammed in place now. Forget that dusty amateurism talk; this isn’t your same-old NCAA anymore. Picture this: a Friday night court ruling drops at 9 p.m. ET, and by morning, your favorite college stars are one month away from bagging real, school-paid checks. Not just NIL side deals. We’re talking up to $20.5 million annually. Each school. Oh, and you know Deion Sanders’ crew didn’t hold back on this.

NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco lit up their ‘Nightcap’ podcast with a truth bomb that had the college football world shaken. Sharpe went straight to the jugular. “College sports changed radically Friday night. Schools will begin to directly pay their athletes in less than a month, thanks to a legal settlement that was officially approved in federal court. Starting July 1st, each school will be allowed—but not required—to spend roughly $20.5 million in new payments to their athletes. Each school’s athletic department can decide how it’ll divvy up the money among athletes. Athletes will also be allowed to make money from selling their rights—their name, image, and likeness—to other parties as well,” he said, eyes wide.

He’s not lying. That late-night legal bomb, dropped by Judge Claudia Wilken, finalized the NCAA’s House v. NCAA $2.8 billion settlement—unleashing a never-seen-before tsunami across college athletics. Starting in 2025–26, schools can pay athletes up to $20.5 million a year. That’s right—this isn’t just NIL on the side anymore. It’s open-market paychecks…and you already know who’s about to eat.

Shannon Sharpe kept it real about the pay-distribution system among the athletes: “Look, it’s like anything, Ocho. Your chief-generating programs? Those athletes are gonna make more money. That’s just the way it is. So I know they’re gonna be like, “What about softball and gymnastics?” Man, that guy makes four million, bro. That’s how it is. The best players on a football team, the best players on a basketball team—they get paid the most.”

Sharpe emphasized that the biggest earners will naturally come from top revenue-generating sports like football and basketball—not softball or gymnastics—because, like anything else, the stars who drive the money will see the biggest paydays. That money’s going where the money’s made—football and men’s hoops.

Chad Ochocinco pulled no punches either. “Yeah, I like it. There’ve been so many gripes about players getting money, being too young… but man, I like it. Because the colleges and universities? They’ve been taking advantage of these kids’ likenesses for years. Made billions—billions!” The duo kept it raw. They reminded folks this isn’t about participation trophies anymore—it’s about “getting that bread,” because for decades, these players have been appetizers on the NCAA’s money platter.

Shannon Sharpe exposed the college football equals amateurism concept with, “I ain’t got a problem with that, get that bread,” he said, slamming the amateurism myth that the NCAA’s been hiding behind. “Y’all started getting these big TV contracts, y’all didn’t care about no damn amateurism. It was about the financial game.” He doubled down on: “If it’s really about education, then say, ‘Hey Holmes—hey, you got an athletic scholarship, not academic.’ But don’t lose sight of why you’re really here.” That line hit hard because it’s the core of the NCAA hypocrisy—preach education, practice exploitation. Now? Athletes can finally eat.

Deion Sanders’ AD breaks down how settlement change things for the Buffs

Now let’s talk about how it hits Boulder—because Coach Prime’s empire isn’t exempt from the storm. Rick George, Colorado’s athletic director, didn’t waste time. He sent Buff Nation a crystal-clear memo: Colorado plans to use every cent of that $20.5 million. Every. Single. One. Because staying competitive? Yeah, that costs now.

In his letter, George said Colorado would create a “revenue-share budget proportional to the revenue each sport generates.” Translation? Football and men’s hoops are the main dishes—everything else is sides. That’s not hate, that’s just the game. And CU’s not here to play cute; they’re here to win recruits and stack trophies.

George kept it classy but real. “For the first time ever, we will be able to share our revenue with student-athletes,” he said in a video. “This will be an incredible opportunity for businesses to work directly with student-athletes to enhance their brand.” Sounds like PR, but it’s actually a war cry. The twist? NIL still lives. Players can get paid both from the school and from outside business deals. Double up. But now, all those deals get funneled through a national clearinghouse. Cleaner, more accountable, but also more eyes on who’s really cutting checks.

George dropped another gem: local businesses better wake up. He practically begged Boulder’s business community to lock in with CU athletes. Why? Because winning off the field helps win on it. And if they want to keep up with SEC and Big Ten monsters? That outside NIL support has to match the internal bankroll. “This new era of college athletics will bring challenges,” George admitted. “But it will also bring opportunities for Buff Nation to be involved like never before.” Sounds cute, but let’s be real—Colorado just got handed a new playbook, and you best believe Coach Prime is already drawing up formations.

Expect CU to weaponize this system. Prime’s entire pitch is about getting players to the league, and now he can toss guaranteed money on the table. The question now isn’t if they’ll spend—it’s how fast, how aggressive, and how smart. Meanwhile, don’t be surprised if non-revenue sports start sweating. Do you think men’s golf or women’s volleyball is going to see real chunks of that $20.5M? Not unless they’re printing tickets. But again, that’s just the nature of the beast. The NCAA handed schools the power—and they’re going to use it to feed the machines that win.

Deion Sanders already shifted recruiting when he walked into Boulder. Now he’s got ammo. Real dollars. It’s not just flash anymore. It’s funding. And if Colorado plays this right? They go from meme team to money team really quickly. Let the new college football games begin.

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