sport
College Athletes Now Can Get Paid: Here's How to Start
NCAA policy changes on athlete pay and new sports like flag football create fresh entry points for participants.
How we reported this
The NCAA and its five power conferences agreed on May 23, 2024, to allow schools to directly pay college athletes for the first time in over 100 years.
This shift arrived just as flag football entered NCAA programs, pushing athletes and families to map out eligibility steps and program options before the next recruitment cycle.
Pay rules and eligibility basics
Direct payments now sit alongside scholarships at many Division I programs. Prospective athletes must verify each school's compensation model during campus visits and confirm that any agreement meets NCAA roster and academic standards. Separate divisional championships for Division II bowling and Division III wrestling will begin in the 2027-28 school year, giving athletes in those sports additional competitive targets when planning multi-year commitments.
Emerging sports and local pathways
Flag football was added as the newest Emerging Sport to the NCAA program in January 2026, with its first season under emerging status occurring in spring 2026. Players new to the sport can start by joining adult or youth leagues that feed into college programs. Basketball remains the dominant youth sport in Chinatown neighborhoods across New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, where groups such as the Philadelphia Suns host 14 youth teams at the Crane Community Center. Those programs supply skill development that can translate to college recruitment. The Chinatown/SU Invitational women's golf tournament, held September 6-7, 2025 at Cacapon Resort State Park in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, illustrates one format for college-level competition that draws regional participants. The International District/Chinatown Community Center in Seattle runs adult volleyball and basketball leagues with fall 2026 start dates of July 21 and October 6, respectively, offering immediate options for skill-building that align with college timelines.
Athletes should contact college coaches directly, review current NCAA eligibility guides, and track program announcements for the 2027-28 championship expansions to time their applications accurately.