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As the dust settles on House v. NCAA, a new era of collegiate athletics has emerged—one defined by direct revenue sharing, employment status debates, and a fractured Title IX landscape. While the courtrooms are busy with filings and appeals, the locker rooms are dealing with the fallout.
This session brings together a panel of current and recent college athletes to pull back the curtain on life in the “pay-for-play” era. We move beyond the legal jargon and theoretical debate to the lived reality of the modern college athlete. Join us to hear from the athletes who are currently navigating this uncharted territory and learn why the “solution” provided by the settlement may have created a brand-new set of systemic crises.
10:30-11:30am Panel 2: The Cost of Undervaluation: Media Rights, Revenue Sharing, and the Rising Value of Women’s College Sports
Join top leaders in sports broadcasting as they dissect the seismic shifts shaping college athletics. From the landmark Kaplan Report, to NIL legislation, to the House v. NCAA settlement allowing direct athlete pay, we’re in a new world. This webinar will explore the new media landscape as well as how the findings of the landmark Kaplan Report—which revealed the NCAA’s systematic undervaluing of women’s sports—stand in stark contrast to the new revenue-sharing formulas of the House v. NCAA settlement. Do these new deals, which allow for direct athlete payments, truly reflect the surging value of women’s sports and avoid perpetuating the historical inequities highlighted by the Kaplan Report? While revenue-sharing models are currently being implemented at institutions, proceeding without proper valuation creates a significant legal and ethical risk of solidifying a financial structure built on the undervaluing of women’s sports. Our panelists will share their insights on how this evolving landscape is creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges for media companies, institutions, and athletes alike. Join us to learn how this focus on equity and value will drive the next generation of growth in college athletics.
11:45am-12:45pm National Awards Ceremony
The luncheon features presentation of The Drake Group Education Fund (TDGEF) national awards. The awards program includes recipients of the TDGEF National Public Service Award, the TDGEF Student Journalism Prize for Investigative Reporting in Intercollegiate Athletics, the TDGEF Hero Award, and TDGEF Changemaker Award, among others.
12:45-1:30pm FIRESIDE CHAT with Cody Campbell – the Future of College Sports
Join the Executive Director of the Drake Group Education Fund for a focused conversation with Cody Campbell on the future of college athletics following the House v. NCAA settlement. As a result of the settlement, schools have moved to direct athlete compensation and revenue sharing, and this discussion will examine how this new financial model reshapes athletic department priorities, competitive balance, and the sustainability of non-revenue sports. The conversation will also address emerging Title IX and gender equity considerations, evolving NIL dynamics, and the broader implications of these structural changes for governance, academic integrity, and the educational mission of higher education.
1:45-2:45pm PANEL 3: The Labor Paradox: Navigating the Complexities of Collegiate Unionization
As the 2026 collegiate landscape shifts from the “amateur” era toward a formal revenue-sharing model, the conversation around collective bargaining has moved from theoretical debate to a complex legal and structural confrontation. However, the path to a unionized collegiate system is fraught with structural, legal, and ethical hurdles that challenge the very sustainability of athletic departments. This panel explores the friction between athlete advocacy and the operational realities of higher education. Rather than assuming collective bargaining is an inevitable “endgame,” this session critically examines the significant complications inherent in such a transition.
3:00-4:00pm PANEL 4: The New Playbook: Redefining Governance in the Era of College Super-Leagues
In an era defined by rapid deregulation and shifting capital, the future of the NCAA is no longer a localized concern—it is a national priority. This session brings together key stakeholders and strategic thinkers to debate the challenges of managing institutional complexity and weakened governance in a new economic and federal landscape. We will explore whether new regulatory frameworks can stabilize a system currently navigating unprecedented volatility.