Summary: Student Athletes Should Be Paid

Founded almost a century ago to protect students engaging in college athletics, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been at the forefront in the implementation of its founding principles which largely focus on both academics and athletics excellence (National Collegiate Athletic Association). However, a review of the total earnings made by NCAA and the benefits accorded to the players that make these earnings realizable brings to question whether NCAA truly protects and cares about the livelihood of athletes. In this text, I revisit the issue of whether or not college athletes should be paid. In my opinion, there exists a need to compensate college athletes.

For instance, In 1950 Bud Wilkinson earned $15,000 a season as the head football coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. During that same time period the football players were only given scholarships. This year Bob Stoops, who is the current coach of the Oklahoma football team, will earn $4.55 million (Doyel). That is three hundred times more money a season than just sixty years ago. “College football and men's basketball generate revenues of more than $6 billion every year. Yet not one penny goes toward paying the people who make the sports possible: the student athletes. It is only reasonable that student athletes have a share in the millions of dollars that their sports businesses bring in. If it weren't for them, college athletics would not even exist” (Birkenes and Bagaria). The universities, coaches, and sports companies are getting rich off these athletes and it is time for a change. It isn’t necessary that colleges begin to pay players thousands of dollars each week but just enough money so they do not struggle with finances. If someone was looking for another term for slave labor they could easily say college athlete. If universities truly care about the well-being of the student athletes then pay them what they deserve. Colleges should start reimbursing athletes for the millions of dollars the school makes off of their athletic abilities.

In the world of college athletics there are endless topics discussed daily and most pertain to money. An issue that falls under this category includes the heated debate involving whether or not student athletes should receive money. Many people say student athletes should receive compensation according to their specific needs because they spend so much time earning their scholarship and have no time to work. On the other hand, the stronger argument is student athletes should not be able to acquire additional funds in order to help aid them through college. An athlete knows what he or she is involving themselves in before any money issue is even brought up. Signing a letter of intent shows that

“SLAVES OF BIG-TIME COLLEGE SPORTS” by D. Stanley Eitzen explains that college athletes are not being treated fairly and we need to change for the athletes best interest. First off, it states that players are exploited economically, making millions for their teams, but provided only with a subsistence wage of room, board, tuition, and books; they are controlled with restricted freedoms; they are subject to physical and mental abuse by coaches. Later in the text, it explains how “These rules reek with injustice. Athletes can make money for others, but not for themselves.” (Eitzen 3) This source will be used to describe and give examples of the opposing views and skewed image of these college athletes lives and privileges.

Student athletes in college are held to a higher standard than normal students since they are juggling a lot more in their lives. Student athletes have to set aside a lot of time for practice while still maintaining good grades and a social life. Some people believe that because of this demanding schedule that student athletes should be paid. Where on the other hand many believe that they shouldn’t since they choose to be on a sports team, this is a topic that is debated upon by many. One solution could be to lower the tuition for student athletes since they are offering their talents to the school. As long as the students stay on the team they will get some money off their college tuition every year.

College sports these days are a huge money pit, NCAA makes millions of dollars off of student athletes every year. Should the NCAA start sharing the profits with these student athletes, which every year help grow the NCAA brand? It’s an important question that seems to come up every day on television, the internet, and even in the newspaper. Student athletes are going to college on scholarships which are sold to them by coaches, scouts, and other school administration as a commitment to the student’s future. All they ask is for the student athlete to make a commitment to the school by signing a contract to attend, which is called the “letter of intent”. With the students make a commitment to attend this school for at least a four year

Money, money, money; getting more money seems to be the only thing anyone ever seems concerned with. And now that they have made progress they want to push it, some may feel that if the NCAA is gaining more and more revenue through T.V. broadcasting, that they should give the athletes more. Although most people want what they deserve, there is a point where one may pass what is just and become selfish. College athletes are receiving a just amount of benefits and should stop trying to change the organization.

The argument of whether or not the NCAA should pay its athletes has been debated for around 8 years now, and right when it seems like there may be a breakthrough another reason comes up for the issue to be put on hold. College athletic programs are multimillion dollar programs and the athletes who make this revenue possible are getting the bare minimum to make it by in these college programs. Last year the Texas A&M athletic program was at the top of the NCAA revenue list bringing in $192,608,876. A third of that revenue comes from ticket sales alone, which leaves the rest to television rights, licensing and other donations. In the NCAA there are 26 colleges which are bringing in over 100 million dollars in NCAA revenue (USA Today 1). But still, Horace claims that “there is a misconception that athletic programs in general are profitable and are making hand-over fist. While truly most operate at a cost to the institution”.

NCAA stands for National Collegiate Athletic Association. It’s a non-profit association that regulates and organize athletes of 1,281 institutions; conferences; organizations; and individuals. They were founded in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt after threatening to get rid of football if things weren’t changed to make things fair. President Roosevelt’s dream still hasn’t come true because coaches, administrators and athletic directors get paid millions of dollars to coach and be mentors to these players. But the players don’t get a small piece of the it, even if they work more hours than than the average American worker, miss numerous amounts of classes because of required tournaments, give fake or independent classes so that their gpa high enough for them eligible to play, and sometimes leave college

College sports are everywhere in today’s world. Turn on ESPN and you will be surrounded hearing about Jay Bilas’ final four predictions or possibly Jon Gruden’s Heisman candidates. College sports have turned into a multi-billion dollar industry with consistent growth. Despite of the fast growing business, the NCAA remains non-profit and labels the players “student-athletes” to mark them amateur. With this label, athletes are recognized as student first and athlete second. Scholastics are supposed to be prioritized over athletics, however with the growing industry the lines are being blurred. The NCAA is considered to be an amateur league, however, groups of people are pushing for players to become paid due to the high revenue. While one

College athletics is a billion dollar industry and has been for a long time. Due to the increasing ratings of college athletics, this figure will continue to rise. It’s simple: bigger, faster, stronger athletes will generate more money. College Universities generate so much revenue during the year that it is only fair to the players that they get a cut. College athletes should get paid based on the university’s revenue, apparel sales, and lack of spending money.

what is wrong with college Division 1 athletics, It is very simple college athletic is a farming system designed create tremendous revenue. Athlete that are attending these D1 college are also so being exploited and treater like field slaves forced into a system where they have no say and if they retaliate they will be lashed out of the system and exiled. The eduction at these big Universities have been Hijacked by sports like basketball and football,l these schools are turning athletic into an arms at any cost to win, like when America dropped nuclear bombs on japan. these programs produces up to $12 billion a year off of these athlete and in exchange they are said to be given a priceless education, but what they are not telling you is that these student athlete are being put in fake classes where they don't have to show up to and only have to write one paper for the year.

College athletes should be paid because slavery has been abolished in our country. I am comparing the hard work these kids do for no pay to slave labor. Slaves were forced to work against their will and the same thing happens to these athletes. The athletes need money to eat and do laundry but they do not have the time to get a job. School and sports are both full time jobs. Especially a college sport. That is the second highest level of sports in the U.S. They need to put all of their focus on the sport they play. A job would just distract them from their art, and a distraction would be bad. I’m sure their coaches wouldn’t appreciate them working at a place.

“Imagine that you worked a 40-hour per week job where you didn’t get paid, but you had to pay $3,000 a year!” In the article, “The Myth of Amateur Athletics”, this quote is being compared to the amount of training, practicing, and competing most full ride college athletes obtain each week. While maintaining good grades, continuing to give 100% training/during games, college athletes don’t need any added stress. Added stress such as finding a job to pay for the extra $3,000 they have to pay to go to college.

Student athletes should also get paid because they work very hard to get where they are and to play a sport that they love. There is also a possibility that the player could get hurt or severely injured in a game and their career could be done. They might also need the money for their health care if they go I think college athletes should get paid because if they something dangerous to the hospital. Players’ lives could be at risk.