Essay On Why College Athletes Should Be Paid

What most people don’t is that not all athletes get the full-ride scholarships that people think of. Most collegiate sports don’t even offer full-ride scholarships; instead they have a set amount of money that they can do whatever to give scholarships. According to a U.S. News article, “The average athletic scholarship is about $10,400. Only four sports offer full rides to all athletes who receive scholarships: football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball” (O'Shaughnessy). Just to put this into perspective, there are twenty-four total college sports, and only these 4 offer full scholarships. This showcases the rarity of a full-ride in college athletes. Looking into it even more, most of those college athletes come from low income families, “86 percent of college athletes come from below the poverty line” (Hayes 1). A college athlete's schedule is also very hectic. In an article showing the schedule of a football player, it lists, “6am-7am: Wake up,

College athletes should be paid because of the hard work, dedication and effort they put into their respective sports. These athletes are a major source of income for their schools and they are not receiving a penny for it. These college athletes deserved to be paid, colleges are using these athletes to get money and they are never given anything but a pat on the back and a good job. College athletes work and train extremely hard to perform at the highest level possible. In most cases, they spend more time training and preparing for their sport than they actually do learning and studying. They put so much on the line to play and they get nothing in return. These college athletes literally make their schools millions of dollars every

These amateurs sign a contract forbidding them from receiving any kind of monetary compensation as a college athlete. In short words, they cannot receive any direct funds or sponsorships. The NCAA believes that through scholarships, grants, and financial aid, college athletes are more than able to cover the costs of their tuition, living/traveling expenses (Green 6). Also, playing sports in college leads to future opportunities upon graduation. Essentially, college athletes are paid through scholarships and promotions and in return they represent their school through with their athletic talent. According to Institute for College Access & Success, in the state of Pennsylvania, 71 percent of students leave a public four-year institution or private non-profit four-year institution in debt. The average debt is $32,528 (McCauley 6). That is an enormous burden for kids who may, or may not have a job awaiting them upon graduation. When you look at it that way, plenty of college students would be happy to play a sport for four years if it meant they did not have to take on that financial hardship (McCauley

College sports can determine a person’s lifestyle. Determines whether or not they can go pro or get a job. Paying athletes can give them a better sense of money. They can learn how to save their money up, learn how to spend it correctly, and a great sense of financial awareness. The problem is that many

Another reason the athletes should receive pay is because, they never really had had financial experience before they enter professional sports. If schools were to begin paying players, they could help the students deal with this situation. This would allow them to be experienced, these students to financial investors who had their best interests in mind. Whether or not these college athletes went on to play professionally, they would at least have some type of financial literacy to carry with them into whatever path they choose. This would set them up a better financial

Do you enjoy watching a good game of college football on saturday afternoons? How would you feel if college sports turned into a business similar to the NFL or NBA? That is exactly what would happen if college athletes began to be paid for their talents. There are many other reasons college athletes should not be paid, for example, college athletes already receive compensation in the form of scholarships, each athlete could not be paid the same, and athletes should be focusing on school, not athletics.

With them being students first, they could easily give up on the big picture if they are surprised with mass amounts of money. Not only would they be getting paid now but their names would be famous and is likely they wouldn't handle the fame and fortune correctly like other stars paid before they are mature. Before we could even discuss paying them we would have to figure out who exactly would be paying the athletes. The schools or students paying tuition would be affected which could lead to budget cuts, hurting the overall universities. So that is why I believe college athletes should not be paid because it will ruin the integrity of the game.

The NCAA generates billions of dollars a year in revenue, through exploiting their athletes, and demeaning higher educations making them one of the most powerful and dangerous organizations in sports. The total annual revenue of the NCAA is $10.6 billion. very year, individually, every large Division I Men’s basketball school makes about $10.1 million dollars, and every large conference football school makes around $15.8 million per year (“NCAA College”). That revenue is split between a variety of things such as: ticket sales, tv and apparel contracts, and other merchandise sales (“NCAA College”). Perhaps the most profitable part of the NCAA is the television contracts. In 1961, Byers, then the commissioner of the NCAA, hired chief lobbyist

College athletes should not be paid. “ They argue that the main purpose of going to college is to get a education, not to make money” (“Should college”...1). College is not a job, it is a place to learn. Also many college athletes receive scholarships to attend that school. “The value of the scholarships athletes receive during four years of college can be well over $250,000” (Weiss et al.1). Therefore, athletes

College Athletes already receive significant amounts of money. Some people are aware enough to realize that student athletes on athletic scholarship are essentially paid already because they receive free tuition, room, meal plans, and some money for books and miscellaneous expenses (Dorfman). At the bigger, more successful universities, athletes also receive academic counseling, tutoring, life skill training, and even nutritional advice. Certainly, not all student athletes are on scholarship and not all are on full scholarships but the student athletes in the revenue sports are receiving compensation in the form of educational benefits and living expenses. Traveling around the world is another privilege these student-athletes are afforded. Many college athletes are being reimbursed with nearly as much money as the average American makes per year (Dirlam).

College athletes are among the most hardworking individuals as they work to balance life as a young adult, collegiate studies, and the strenuous requirements that are involved in practicing and performing for their sport or sports of choice. These students athletes generally do not have time in their routines to add in additional employment that they may need in order to fund their lives while attending college and living away from home, often for the first time. The athletes are household names, the faces of the colleges, and hometown heroes yet they often cannot afford to enjoy the fruits of their labor. This is due to the legalities that are involved in regards to college athletes not being paid for extra curricular activities. Outside of the scholarships that are generally rewarded to the athletes in order to pay for their education,

They would have financial support that they would not have to worry about and they could focus on school. This could possibly increase graduation rates and student enrollment numbers. I think it would make the parents and coaches of the athletes more comfortable and confident that their child/player is succeeding in their sport. Some say that if college athletes began being paid they may not go to class anymore because they have money and would not have any incentive to go to class. To contradict that belief, in my opinion if athletes were being paid they would love school more because they are receiving what they deserve versus them playing their sport and not getting anything in return.

The average debt is $32,528”(K McCauley, “College athletes shouldn’t be paid”). This is an enormous burden for the just graduated student to handle right when they get out of college. When leaving college some students might not even have a job while looking for a career in their study, which could make the problem even worse. Having this burden lifted off an athletes shoulder is enough to entice some players to keep with the sport and it will pay off in the long run. This advantage will give the athletes a head start in life that the average college student with student loans might not benefit from.

Even though college athletes bring in a very good amount of money every year, there would be no reason to pay them because they are already receiving assistance that most students at the university have to pay for. Kieran McCauley argues that “Athletes don’t have to worry about student loans, textbooks, on-campus living, and meal plans” (McCauley). Kieran is arguing that the athletes do not have to agonize about expenses that the other students are having to pay for. One of the biggest predicament students face going to college is affording the student loans. Yet, college athletes catch a tremendous break by getting some of these benefits for free.

College athletes don’t have to worry about paying for books, meals, or the sport equipment they use to work out with. They don’t need money to throw away on food because they possibly have a certain meal plan provided by their athletic trainers. College athletes still have time to get a job during the off-season. Many people have to pay for college and student athletes with scholarships are the lucky ones who