Bolender
English 1010
11/28/16
Compensation of College Athletes The biggest achievement of student athlete in this day and age is committing to a big time NCAA Division I athletic program in his or her respective sport. It is an immense accomplishment, but an equally immense commitment. The term “signing your life away” more than an expression. The coaches and staff of those programs monitor every aspect of life in big time college athletic programs. College athletics has also become its own industry. This year alone Jim Harbaugh will make a total of $9,004,000 as head football coach at the University of Michigan (USA Today). Obviously these college athletic programs have money to spend, but how little of this money actually …show more content…
Athletes can make money for their coaches, schools, and sponsors, but not for themselves (Eitzen). Others believe college athletes should be compensated because of their vital role in the arena of professional athletics. They are the next LeBron James, or Peyton Manning, and deserve to be compensated as such for their hard work and dedication to their respective sport. The average amount of time college athletes spend practicing, playing, and training for their respective sport is somewhere between 40 and 50 hours a week, which is comparable to a full time job. This doesn't include the time they are required to spend on academics. College athletes deserve to be compensated due to the injustice of amateurism, their role in professional athletics, and the amount of time they spend on their respective …show more content…
N.p., 24 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.
Eitzen, D. Stanley. "College Athletes Should Be Paid." Sports and Athletes, edited by James D. Torr, Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context
The injustice of college athletics comes from the amount of work the athletes do at big Division I schools, the way they advertise big corporate brands, and endorse the school’s athletic programs but receive no payoff. They can make money for others, but not themselves.
"Grant and Scholarship Resources." Grant and Scholarship Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2016.
Martelle, Scott. "Top-Tier College Athletes Are Professionals Who Deserve a Bigger Slice of the Pie." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,
Division I college athletes are a vital piece of professional athletics and should be compensated as such. They should also receive improved health care