Schools are now allowed to play their athletes directly, after Judge Claudia Wilken approved a $2.8 billion settlement.

The House vs. NCAA settlement ends the lawsuit that claimed the NCAA was illegally preventing athletes from earning money. They will have to pay roughly $2.8 billion to athletes ranging from 2016 to present day. In some situations, athletes who received scholarships while playing will still receive compensation.

Moving forward, schools will be given an annual cap of around $20.5 million, and it could possibly increase year-to-year as high as $33 million. Schools will have to make a quick turn around to implement these new procedures.

This does not end the dispute on whether college athletes should be concerned employees. Many hope athletes will not be ruled employees and that Congress will form a new law to prevent this.

The settlement opens up the possibility for athletes to make big money. Especially in sports like football and Men and Women’s basketball because those programs tend to generate a lot of revenue.