Colleges athletes have been pushing for the right to make money off of their athletic fame. However, the NCAA has constantly fought off all arguments to pay college athletes for their efforts. However, cheerleaders are allowed to obtain sponsorships for their participation. Many cheerleaders have become social media influencers and have seen lucrative gains. This is possible as long-held rules governing amateurism among college athletes do not apply to cheerleaders, meaning they can sell autographs, appear in commercials and wear their cheer uniforms while promoting products as social influencers, without fear of being disciplined. In sports governed by the N.C.A.A., athletes risk their eligibility to compete if they engage in similar activities, and their teams and universities can also be punished.
See "The College Athletes Who Are Allowed to Make Big Bucks: Cheerleaders", Tess Demeyer, New York Times, December 2, 2020