The revenue-sharing payments of athletes are historic, and as conferences navigate the future, they are turning to fintech companies like PayPal and Venmo (which are actually owned by the same company). The Big Ten commissioner, Tony Petitti, announced that the conference will be using Venmo as the method for paying its athletes through the new approved revenue-sharing model. This is historic in several ways.
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has announced that the league is partnering with @Venmo as the method for distributing revenue-sharing payments to athletes.
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) July 22, 2025
The Big Ten and the Big 12 will be turning to PayPal to pay their student-athletes
It wasn't long ago that paying athletes was forbidden and penalized. Now, it is streamlined to reach a student-athlete's phone directly. The business has undergone significant changes in just a few years. The transformation is staggering, and it's important for the future of athletic compensation.
""We're proud to help lead this transformation in college athletics by making it easier and faster for student-athletes to receive funds and continue to bring trusted and innovative commerce solutions to the heart of campus life. From receiving institutional payments to making everyday purchases, we're helping student-athletes, families, and schools engage in new ways that are modern, secure, and built for the future.""Alex Chriss, President and CEO, PayPal.
Students who already primarily use apps like Venmo and PayPal to manage their daily lives will now have a stream of funding directly deposited into their accounts. In the press release issued by PayPal, the company notes that with PayPal and/or Venmo being used in bookstores, for tuition payments, and in other locations around campus, this will continue to support the student-athlete.
These athletes will receive payments promptly, with payments made instantly on the designated payment day. It will be secure, as PayPal and Venmo have established a strong security presence in fintech. And perhaps most importantly, it will be very accessible as more and more places utilize fintech to operate and facilitate payments and transfers. Students will have money available on their phone, eliminating the need to worry about taking checks to the bank.
This is significant for college sports, as conferences and institutions will now be utilizing mobile technology to compensate their athletes.