One of the biggest challenges when it comes to unionization, or finding any blanket resolution to the question of college athlete compensation, is the vast disparities between the Power 4 schools and everyone else.

Schools in the Big Ten or the SEC can shell out tens of millions of dollars to their athletic programs, with the majority usually allocated for football. They also have deep-pocketed donors who can further boost player salaries through NIL deals.

Duane Morris LLP attorney Bryan Shapiro, himself a former college basketball player, said he could not see how unionization could work without the biggest college conferences splitting off from the NCAA.

"A single model across all of Division 1 would be really challenging," Shapiro said.

But schools would be wise to keep the concept of unionization in the back of their minds.

"I think any university or institution looking at the sports playing field at the moment, they are all preparing for the possibility of unionization or other type of regulatory oversight, rather than necessarily embracing it," Shapiro said. "They are not categorically opposed, but I don't think there is a pathway forward for unionization at this time."

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