The current landscape of college athletics is undergoing, arguably, the most dramatic transformation in its history. A system long governed by tradition, informal understandings and a patchwork of rules now finds itself in a crucial moment. A moment that will define its character.

College sports today operate without true structure or real enforcement. Decisions made in the ecosystem are now constantly facing legal risk and challenges. Athletes, administrators and institutions are doing their best to adapt to the changing map, but without true structure, they’re navigating in the dark.

That is why collective bargaining is not just a legal tool for athletes and administrators alike, it is a necessary framework. One capable of restoring stability and clarity to a system that once worked, but now is fractured. Without collective bargaining with college athletes, litigation will continue, trust will erode and the very fabric of college sports will begin to unravel.

AthleticDirectorU sits down with Athletes.org Founder and CEO Brandon Copeland to dive into AO's progress towards a CBA in college athletics, overcoming hurdles with those hesitant about the idea of collective bargaining, what lies ahead for AO and more.

The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing:

0:13 - What are Athletes.org's plans for creating long-term stability in this time of uncertainty?
3:48 - Let's start at the ground level: what does a college athletics association or union look like? With over 500,000 student-athletes and 90 sports across the NCAA and around 20,000 across college football and basketball, how do you create a system to balance where all voices can actually be heard? And who are the schools actually bargaining with?
7:27 - The last four years have been chaotic. Why do you feel some ADs are ready to come to the table, while many are still hesitant to engage in collective bargaining?
12:16 - How do you unify these athletes? Even if all of the power leagues came to you tomorrow and said, "We are ready to go," what does that look like?
16:31 - What is success for Athletes.org in the next 12-24 months? More specifically, what needs to happen in the next year or two to make all of this happen?