The NCAA received some rare praise this week, as the Board of Governors supported a rule change that would allow student-athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness. It was a decision that many across the country deemed necessary.

ESPN personality and SEC Network host Paul Finebaum believes that this week’s ruling could mark the beginning of the end for the NCAA, however. Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday, Finebaum provided a fierce reaction to the ruling, saying the association had to make the move because there was a “gun to its head.”

“The rich are going to get richer,” Finebaum said. “In relation to the NCAA, the NCAA needs to be put out of business. It’s a sham organization. I think the power-five commissioners are slowly moving toward more autonomy. This is the NCAA’s last stand. They had to do it. They had a gun to their head. It was way too late. Hopefully, let’s be aspirational here, the NCAA won’t exist in a couple of years and players can do whatever they want. They’re going to do it anyway. Coaches are going to continue to cheat. They don’t care what the NCAA thinks about this. I think we’re all going to be better off…I think they are moving toward (the power five conferences breaking away). It’s not easy to do because of the NCAA basketball tournament but we are certainly moving in that direction.”

In recent months, the NCAA organized a working group to address the name, image and likeness situation, hoping to develop a solution that benefited student-athletes. It appears that the association is working towards that in some capacity with support of compensation for players through endorsements, sponsorships and social media influence.

An official vote on the matter will come in January 2021, with implementation planned as early as the 2021-22 academic year.

The NCAA’s hand was forced in this regard, as many states were proposing and introducing legislation that would allow student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness. It’s required the association to rethink its longtime amateurism business model that has been in place for decades.

It seems that it’s only a matter of time until serious changes are made for the NCAA.