Supreme Court to hear case on how NCAA allows colleges to reward student-athletes

The Supreme Court is set Wednesday to hear arguments in a case on how Division I colleges reward student-athletes who play basketball and football.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association says the distinction between professional and college sports could be erased if the high court rules in favor of the former college students who brought the case, according to the Associated Press. 

Under NCAA rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money colleges can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school.

But if the Supreme Court sides with the plaintiffs, the cap could be removed and open the door for schools to offer tens of thousands of dollars in education benefits including money for postgraduate scholarships, tutoring and study abroad opportunities, the wire service also reports.