The next bombshell in college athlete compensation dropped Thursday as the SEC is believed to have become the first conference to formally allow the opportunity for its members to provide education-based benefits resulting from the Alston v. NCAA case decided in June.

That landmark case allowed schools to provide benefits "tethered" to education up to $6,000 per year. The Supreme Court voted 9-0 against the NCAA's appeal to deny those benefits. Justices admonished the NCAA for illegally "suppressing the pay" to athletes while the association generates billions in revenue each year.

The first implementation of the benefits allowed by Alston further signal an erosion of the NCAA's power. The decision put the onus on the conferences to set limits for educational benefits if they chose.

With the SEC putting that responsibility in the hands of its 14 member institutions, the other Power Five conferences will at least have to consider following the SEC's lead by allowing education-related benefits up to the maximum of $5,980 per student per year.

The surprise is not that the SEC is the first conference to use Alston for its benefit; rather, it's the fallout that comes from the announcement.

Additional educational benefits give the nation's most powerful conference, at least for now, a recruiting advantage. That's at least the way it will be portrayed by other coaches and administrators.

"Most of our kids will get the full amount," Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said.


[Post edited by goldendomer at 09/23/2021 6:18PM]