Are athletes at Division 1-A colleges amateurs or are they really professionals? This question is argued by many people throughout the nation. Some say it’s unfair to others but some also say that it is a necessity for these athletes. With these athletes being full time students while playing sports, they don’t have any opportunities to make money. There are three specific reasons on why college athletes should get paid: It will pay for more than just textbooks, players give up their body for their school, and the NCAA makes money, so the players should too!
A Little Extra Student athletes do not have the free time to make money to support themselves. Michael Polak, a sportswriter for The Charleston Gazette and a resident of Charleston, …show more content…
W.Va., agrees. "All colleges have work-study programs, so students can work in the library or gym and get paid for their services," he says, referring to a federal program that allows students to earn tuition money by working for their schools. "I see athletics on the collegiate level just like a work-study program" (Birkenes). Also some student athletes are often unable to work part-time jobs, because in addition to training and playing in games, they are full-time students who must earn passing grades to stay in school. A small salary for student athletes would help them live comfortably (Meshefejian). This could make a big difference in some athletes’ lives. Now that they have money for food and other things they will consider continuing their education. There are some student athletes that end their college career all because of a money issue. With these programs, they can hopefully manage their earnings and complete their education (Meshefejian). Another thing these programs offer is that it will encourage these students to work harder at what they do. If they receive a wage for their effort in athletics, while keeping up with their education, they will want to work to their full potential to continue their profit. This is a great opportunity for these athletes and even though they deserve a wage, they also should work to their fullest potential to maintain it.
A Sacrifice
During the past four decades, the NCAA has made a pretty easy scholarship system for blue chip athletes and these athletes deserve every little bit of it (Sack). These athletes are the reason why these schools make so much money. Through ticket sales, jerseys, endorsements, and broadcast deals these schools are making millions while these athletes are sacrificing their bodies for their school (see figure 1 for an example). They should at least get some compensation for their time (Meshefejian). College football players risk getting a life-changing or even life-ending injury every time they step onto the gridiron. Without benefits or compensation, this could ruin their future. Another very good reason is that some of these athletes risk their education while choosing schools to play for. Many of these schools have been profitable long before these athletes signed for them and have had lots of success. If these athletes sign to schools that have had lots of money, but aren’t offering a scholarship, they might not be able to afford their education and will have to quit. Some of these students though will accept these scholarships based on how much money they are receiving, and not by the school’s athletic talent. Some say that this is a great decision and some say that it is not a smart one. If these athletes got a little extra for the contributions they make for their school, maybe they can make a more balanced out decision. It will also encourage some students to focus on the college aspect and their futures and not just the sport they play.
Giving Back As you probably already know, the NCAA makes a gigantic amount of money from their athletic events.
College football and men’s basketball generate revenues of more than $6 billion dollars every year. Yet these college athletes, who make this possible, don’t even get a little piece of that money. It only makes sense that since they contribute to the NCAA making all this profit, that they should get a reward for making these sports possible. Many of these athletes do get scholarships, but these scholarships usually do not even cover their tuition. Some of these athletes may have financial problems, and with a little help from the NCAA, they can pay for their tuition and not have to worry about money and focus on their school and athletics (Birkenes). Another problem is that even though student athletes are big part of campus life, the NCAA has created a monster that makes athletes try to focus more on their skill at their sport than trying to improve their education. If these athletes were paid, then they could focus on both and not have to think about their future in sports and try to improve their education in case they do not make it to the professional league (Staudohar and …show more content…
Zeppel). The Collegiate Athletes Coalition (an organization supported by the Steelworker’s Union) is actually trying to improve conditions for these Collegiate Athletes.
For most of these athletes, a successful educational pursuit will have to wait until their athletic careers are over. The organization of these players may be a good idea if it will provide an even distribution of money to the athletes. Although it is supported by the Steelworkers, it isn’t really considered a union. According to the National Labor Relations Act, rights to unionize only exist for “employees” which under their current status, they aren’t considered “employees” until they receive a wage (Staudohar and
Zeppel). A Helping Hand As you can see, with everything these student athletes go through they deserve a little compensation. If all these athletes were given a wage, then more could afford their college and improve their education, and with a better education comes a better future. All these examples also symbolize how these players deserve a piece of what the NCAA makes when they are using them for entertainment. Without these athletes there would be no NCAA, and without the NCAA there would be no college sports. If they are given compensation, maybe the NCAA will continue to entertain people all around the world.