They already go to the highest bidder, they just bid under the table. It’s amazing how many boosters own cars they “lend” to the athletic department, and all kinds of other sneaky payments. Nobody is going to be getting LeBron money, but they will be able to get the scholarship stipends most people on academic scholarships get, and they’ll be able to trade autographed pictures of themselves for haircuts. Just like every other time unions have been formed the bosses have nobody but themselves to blame, they decided on a system where everybody but the athletes make money on what the athletes do, and made it so even the smallest compensation risked the athlete’s career. Eventually the athletes were going to call them on it.
“.... a system where everybody but the athletes make money on what the athletes do,”
Attending Northwestern (where this case arose) costs $50K+/year. The athletes’ scholarships wipe out that cost. Only the very best athletes (top 1%) ever go on to the pros in any sport. But their educations, if they actually pay attention to that part, stay with them for life.