Summary: College Athletes Should NOT Be Paid

That was his mother’s entire annual paycheck! The scholarship suddenly seemed like it would be a drop in a basin of debt. Unfortunately, this situation is similar to that of many college athletes,over eighty six percent of who are poverty-stricken, coming from low-income families, and almost all of them are bombarded with high fees. Though they are in dire need of help, the NCAA, otherwise known as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, refuses to aid these athletes, saying that the players should not receive salaries or any other monetary compensation.

Most of the money they need has to come from parents because unlike pro athletes who have extra time to work, the collegiate athletes are working on schooling during

College athletes deserve to be paid because they are the only ones not being paid in the college sports industry. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) generates eleven billion dollars annually, some of which could, and should go to college athletes. “USA Today reported last year just how much money the top 10 coaches in college football made. Nick Saban from Alabama topped the list earning roughly $5.5 million in 2013 alone” (Seibold). The coaches are making millions of dollars and the players aren’t.

Although the common person may think that it is just a sport, it is much more than that. The time, dedication, and sheer effort that collegiate athletes must put in would be hard for anyone to manage. When the average college student is short on money they are about to go out and get a job so they can pay for their wants and needs. College athletes are different from a regular student in this aspect because they are unable to work a normal job due to their hectic schedule. In an article debating whether college sports are truly a job, Robert McCormick, a law professor at Michigan State, states “ ‘There are more demands put on these young men than any employee of the university’”(qtd in Cooper).

College athletes shouldn't be paid since doing so would damage their sports' amateurism and spoil upcoming athletes. I understand where those who support paying college athletes are coming from, but everyone wants money; it's just the way the world is. Many people believe that everyone in the industry is getting paid except for the athletes who are making all of the money in college sports, despite the fact that these organizations now generate billions of dollars in revenue. That is not accurate at all, as the majority of college athletes receive a full scholarship to the institution they attend, meaning they attend for free. As you can see, this is the justification for not paying college

Student athletes bring in a lot of money for colleges so paying them can only seem

College athletes go to college to learn not to get paid. “Using the inability to distribute the funds equally as an impediment is an excuse.” “Of the $174 million distributed from 5 bowl games, 83.4% went to six conferences.” These quotes show that there is really no excuse for not paying college athletes but that people just want to sit back and complain about how life is not

College athletes take many risks and make personal sacrifices in order to bring in revenue for their school, for this reason, they should be paid employees. The first reason in why college athletes should be paid is that college athletes take many risks. Depending on the scholarship, if an athlete is injured and unable to play they can lose their

If colleges began to pay their athletes, then they could build a bad reputation for being mercenary and lose their educational reputation If they are allowed to play, then it can be financially detrimental to the college because there are many flaws in the system. College athletes should not be compensated for their actions regarding athletic activities, no matter what sport or level they compete on. The idea that college athletes should or shouldn 't be paid

"Over the last decade, the debate of whether or not college athletes should be paid has intensified, and many athletes, as well as coaches, have begun to advocate for the cause." (TIMES) Tyler Harnett, a writer at the Huffington Post, took his standpoint on the topic in the article "Why College Athletes Should be Paid," which clearly states his claim, college athletes should be paid. Personally, I disagree with Harnett's viewpoint and I don't believe college athletes should be paid due to education, funding, and overall fairness. To summarize Harnett's article, he starts by talking about his opponents and their viewpoints on the situation, "They are already getting a scholarship, don't be greedy."

Mike says”Students all over the world work hard at the sport that true love and don’t get a lot in return for it”. While college athletes may not exactly be employees, they are more than just students. Consider the life of a student-athlete, though. The average Division I football player dedicates over 43hours per week to his sport, meaning that he spends more than a typical American work-week training and playing football, in addition to his class work. Their work, which generates exorbitant amounts of money year in and year out, deserves Compensation.

For example, if it wasn’t for basketball players, Gonzaga University would need to spend a lot more money on building a name recognition to students not located on the West. Everyone has their own opinion, but mine is that college athletes should be paid. The amount of time they put into their sport, the amount of money everyone else is making off of them, and their overall importance to the school are only three of a myriad of reasons why they should be paid. These athletes are not only students, but employees to their universities. They are a core member of many university’s marketing team.

" This quote proves that the students are bringing in lots of money and the school has plenty to give. College athletes should be paid because they contribute to the school revenues. When it comes to getting fans in the arena it all happens because of the stars coming out of the locker room. Student athletes can be looked at as advertisement because they persuade people to come watch their skills.

Athletes who get scholarships don’t have to deal or worry about student loans, paying for textbooks, the cost of campus living, and meal plans.(3) Students who get scholarships don’t have to worry about being in debt because of loans because their college education is paid off from the scholarship. Then in the state of Pennsylvania 71 percent of students leave a public four year institution in debt around $32,528.(3) This is a normal person graduating from a college. They have to worry about paying back all of that money and students who get scholarships don’t have to worry about it.

When student-athletes received full scholarships, they should be privileged and thankful since the cost of higher education is very expensive. Student-athletes need to understand the circumstances and take of advantage of getting their degree from a well renowned university since the percentages are very slim to none on having a professional career in sports. The purpose of a student-athlete is to be a student first and then an athlete second. The main focus should be on earning a degree, and not worrying about when is the next game on the schedule. Many people are stating that college athletes should get paid, but how about the general student body that has little to nothing and working a job earning minimal pay.