OAKLAND, Calif. ? A federal judge approved the NCAA's $2.8 billion antitrust settlement on June 6, clearing the way for schools to begin direct revenue sharing with athletes and reshaping the financial model of college sports.

In its report on the ruling, ESPN said Judge Claudia Wilken approved the agreement between the NCAA, its most powerful conferences and athletes who argued that the old model illegally limited their earning power.

The basic framework had been in view for months. ESPN's preliminary approval report said the settlement would eventually allow schools to share up to $20.5 million annually with athletes while also paying billions in back damages.

Even after approval, the legal fight did not fully end. ESPN later reported that an appeal would not stop schools from paying current athletes, though it could delay parts of the back-pay process for former players.

The ruling marked one of the most consequential legal turns in the history of college athletics, moving player compensation from a patchwork NIL era toward a more direct and structured system.