Episode Details

🏈 SHOW ME THE MONEY — PART 1

How do college football players actually get paid?

In Part 1 of our Show Me the Money series, we break down the full money flow — from traditional scholarships to the House settlement, conference TV deals, and the rise of NIL collectives. You'll get a clear, no-jargon look at the three main compensation buckets, how the new $20.5M revenue-sharing cap is funded, CFP payout mechanics, and why funding an elite roster now runs $25–40M. We also dig into the fallout for fans: rising ticket prices, donor fatigue, and the Title IX and tax fights still ahead. Whether you're a fan, a student-athlete, or an industry insider, this episode makes the new economics of college football make sense.

💰 WHAT WE GET INTO

› The shift from traditional scholarships to direct compensation
› The three revenue buckets: scholarships, the House settlement, and NIL/collectives
› How the $20.5M revenue-sharing cap is funded — TV deals, payouts, donor money
› CFP payout mechanics: base distributions and progression bonuses
› Why conference realignment and TV renegotiations keep reshaping the money
› The real cost of an elite roster — and the strain on athletic budgets
› Title IX, taxes, and the legal fights still coming

📚 Mentioned: The Club: How Sports Leagues Rise and Fall

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The Preferred Walk-On is the people's college football show. Hosted by Seth Saunders, with James Kehm joining as featured co-host, the show covers college football's full Division I landscape: every Power Four conference, every Group of Six matchup, and every corner of the FCS. Walk-On grit. All-American tape.

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