Today there is much controversy over the subject of compensating college athletes. Some believe that providing a payment would further complicate the issue, but others say that it would end all of the problems. College athletes should receive some form of compensation for participation in collegiate sports due to the hardships they endure, a failure of scholarships to cover all expenses , the exploitation of college athletes by the colleges and universities they play for, a disparity between coaches’ and players’ compensation, and the hypocrisy of National Collegiate Athletic Association’s rules. A recent report states that playing at a large basketball or football program takes the same amount of time as a full time job …show more content…
McCartney answered, “The education plus the costs of basic living and the opportunity to play college athletics is significant compensation”(McCartney 3). Instead of receiving the money that they generate for their school, college athletes earn athletic scholarships. These scholarships do not always cover the entire cost of attending college, which forces numerous players beneath the poverty line (Sports Illustrated 2011). Gary Clark, a guard for the Wake Forest men’s basketball team states,” At a lot of schools, players come from underprivileged families. I know we are getting a scholarship, but some folks don’t have cash to get something to eat when the school cafeteria is closed, or money to buy a used car” (Ford 1). A recent report found that the shortfall of scholarships, for the entire cost of attending school, is between $952 and $6,127. This calculation took many things into account, such as clothing and emergency trips home. These numbers do not reflect money that the athletes may receive from their families or from small jobs, but the majority of athletes are persuaded to appear at voluntary workouts during the summer. This makes is near impossible for the athletes to find outside work (Sports Illustrated 2011). When asked about full-ride scholarships and their shortfalls, Mr. McCartney answered, "It will pay enough to cover the basic costs of living, and I am not opposed to a small increase to insure all the student athlete’s needs are covered
So if the average college athlete is making $50,000 off a scholarship, and devoting 50 hours a week to their team, and then they still have to go to class and focus on school work, where do you expect these kids to get the money to pay for every day needs like food, clothing, and transportation that even a FULL scholarship wouldn’t cover??
Athletes are giving it there all both on the field and in the classroom. College athletes are brought to the school on scholarships to play sports. These athletes are giving it there all going back and forth from classes, to the weight room, to studying, and to practices. But they mostly spend a lot of time practicing rather than going to classes. ““These young men are laboring under very strict and arduous conditions, so they really are laborers in terms of the physical demands on them while there also trying to go to school and being required to go to school.” Says Robert McCormick (2011, Kenneth J. Cooper). What Robert means is that these students have a huge amount of work load on them while also being required to go to school at the same time. These athletes aren’t like every other students. Even before the school year starts, athletes have to come to schools weeks early. Having a summer off is what normal college students have
The debate on whether college athletes should be paid to play is a sensitive controversy, with strong support on both sides. College athletics have been around for a long time and always been worth a good amount of money. This billion dollar industry continues to grow in popularity and net worth, while they continue to see more and more money come in. The student-athletes who they are making the money off of see absolutely none of this income. It is time that the student-athletes start to see some of this income he or she may by helping bring the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are many people who do not think this is in the best interest of the student-athletes or Universities, but that being said there are also many
College athletics are becoming more like the professional leagues except for one big issue, money. Student athletes bring in a vast amount of revenue for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) not to mention recognition and notoriety regarding the athlete’s university. However, the debate continues as to whether student athletes should or should not receive payment for playing college sports.
“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.
A question that has been rising to the surface lately is “should college athletes be paid a salary?” One cannot get on the internet now a day and not see some kind of college sport headline. The world of college sports has been changed greatly the past decade due to college athletes. These athletes make insurmountable amounts of money and an unbelievable amount of recognition for the universities. The athletes that provide and make a ton of revenue for the colleges also spend a huge amount of their time practicing and staying committed to sports, and have to maintain good grades in school which requires quite a bit of overtime. Because college athletes generate massive amounts of revenue and put in massive amounts of personal time for
There is currently a major issue in today’s college athletics. Universities and the NCAA make billions of dollars while some student-athletes go hungry. There is a huge debate over whether or not student-athletes should be paid as employees of their respective colleges. Personally, I don’t believe players should receive full-time salaries, but Universities and the NCAA should be required to increase the value of the scholarships that they award to student-athletes. By requiring that colleges provide athletes with an additional $2,000 per semester as part of their scholarship you can greatly increase the well-being (welfare) of the students.
College athletes generate millions of dollars for their schools each year, yet they are not allowed to be compensated beyond a scholarship due to being considered amateurs. College athletes are some of the hardest working people in the nation, having to focus on both school courses and sports. Because athletics take so much time, these student-athletes are always busy. College football and basketball are multi-billion dollar businesses. The NCAA does not want to pay the athletes beyond scholarships, and it would be tough to work a new compensation program into the NCAA and university budgets. College athletes should be compensated in some form because they put in so much time and effort, generating huge amounts of revenue.
In America people are paid for virtually anything nowadays; but for some reason we hold our superiorly achieving college athletes to a different moral standard where they showcase their highly profitable talents for free. College athletes such as Ben Simmons and Lonzo Ball, whose names alone bring in sell out crowds everywhere they go, are not paid, yet bring in insurmountable of profit to universities that not otherwise be possible. This begs the question: Do college athletes deserve to be paid for their time, skill, and profit they bring to the universities? College athletes should get paid for their play due to the fact that their job is working for their teams, the university makes enormous amounts of money off of them, and sometimes a
Your dream has come true; you're at college playing the sport you love, and at what cost? None. You are free to live your college life worry free and have been given the opportunity to continue your sports career. After you have completed your college education you can get a job, with no college loans that you have to pay off. You are also able to start making money right out of graduation. You get to experience this less stressful college life. The lives of athletes that walk-on and athletes not on a scholarship are stressful ones with many different things to worry about. Those athletes have to worry about how to pay for college and the loans they will have to pay back after graduation. They will have to pay for all their meals, books and the cost for dorms. But what got you here? There were many factors, but one that helped you the most was that you were a diverse athlete.
Those opposed believe that a college education is enough compensation because student-athletes get the best education money can buy. Student athletes are at school to receive an education and are fortunate enough for the opportunity to compete in organized sports. Compensation comes in the form of scholarships; having their education partially or maybe even fully paid. Expenses such as housing, books and meals are included for the athlete on scholarship. Scholarships often come with a small weekly stipend for the player.
USA Today writer Steve Siebold notes “It’s a flawed equation because everyone wins except for the very people responsible for it all” (Siebold). In addition, supporters argue that current academic scholarships are no longer sufficient for college athletes, especially those who will not earn large paychecks at the next level (Murphy and Pace 173). Siebold states that the players who don’t go on to play professionally still deserve compensation for the sacrifices they make in their college years.
Opponents against paying student-athletes say that they should not be paid because through scholarships, they're already being paid. Yes, a scholarship is a form of payment. A scholarship is nice, but it is not enough. A scholarship will not pay the bills. Moreover, unlike ordinary students without athletics, student-athletes must also many times care for families and spouses. Actually, approximately 24% of student athletes are married, and of that 24%, about 62% have children. Of the students without their own spouses or children, many must care for parents and siblings.
Also, athletes would not have enough time between their sports and education to hold jobs. College athletes usually dedicate about 50 hours per week to their sport (Nocera 2). Because athletes do not have enough time for jobs, 86% of college athletes that are covered by full scholarships live below the poverty line (College 1). Shabazz Napier, the star point guard of Connecticut, complained of hunger after leading his team to win the March Madness men’s basketball tournament. “I just feel like a student-athlete, and sometimes, like I said, there’s hungry nights and I’m not able to eat and I still got to play up to my capabilities. … When you see your jersey getting sold — it may not have your last name on it — but when you see your jersey getting sold and things like that, you feel like you want something in return.” (Phillips 1). The NCAA and the colleges earn enough money made by college athletes, to get the athletes out of poverty.
It is an age old debate on whether a college athlete should be paid. It is a high school student 's dream to play sports at the collegiate level. Many people question why the NCAA, coaches, and administrators are allowed to earn large amounts of money while the student athlete’s hard work and efforts are limited to a scholarship. Others feel that is should be considered a privilege that a college athlete can earn a college degree while enjoying what they love, by playing collegiate sports. Student athletes should not receive payment because they are already receiving payment in the form of an expensive athletic scholarship and are also able to receive the new cost of attendance stipend to assist with further financial burdens.