Imagine it is 5 o’ clock in the morning. The sun is not yet shining into your dorm window or over the university. Your body is aching in pain, but you have no choice to get out of bed. You have the first round of your two-a-day practices. Despite being physical and mentally exhausted from practice and classes, you walk to the field and start your day. All of this while the rest of campus sleeps in until 5 minutes before class. Practice gets done at 7:45 a.m., and you have class at 8. You do not even get to eat breakfast as you have to run across campus to avoid being late. You get done with classes, and then you have your second round of practice at 3 p.m. After a 3 hour practice, you go back to your dorm. You look at your desk and start your overwhelming amount of homework. As an athlete, you do not have much of an opportunity to get a part-time job and earn some money as a result of time-budgeting. I felt it appropriate to write about college athletes and whether they should get paid for their efforts by the school because me being a student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in the Track and Field program, I can directly relate to other student-athletes. According to the NCAA’s annual report for 2016, there are about 460,000 student-athletes in Division I-III. As student-athletes, we are treated differently than ordinary students. Unlike musicians attending college, student-athletes are not allowed to sell their talents and likeness privately, meaning
Actions towards paying athletes are being taken and according to the TCU Daily Skiff, “There’s a legislation being passed around in the Big 12 states to provide athletes with an extra stipend in addition to their all-expenses paid education. The idea is that these students are producing truckloads of revenue for the university and should see some of the fruits of their labor.” (Jennings, par. 2) Because athletes aren’t paid for producing such money, supporters feel some of the money made should go towards helping with extra expenses. An average student athlete has to pay for phone bills, transportation, entertainment, laundry, toiletries and other things. While the typical college student has the opportunity to work, athletes don’t. Some students in college receive academic full ride scholarships, which are the same as athletic full rides, but they have time to earn extra money on the side. If these students are receiving a full ride scholarship and have the opportunity to work then an athlete should be paid a compensation for his or her efforts on the playing field.
Whether or not student-athletes should be paid has been a hotly debated topic since the 1900s. College athletes spend just as much time, if not more time, practicing and devoting time and energy to sports as they do academics. For this, many athletes are rewarded with scholarship money. However, many people believe it is not enough. Should we pay student-athletes a slice of the wealth or is a full-ride scholarship enough? (Business Insider). What if the athlete gets injured? Where does the money come out of to support each athlete’s salary? The huge amount of money being generated from college sports has led some people to think that the athletes are entitled to some of that revenue. While, some think that student-athletes should be paid, others disagree for various reasons.
A topic that is very controversial for everyone is, should student-athletes in college be compensated? There numerous evidence that supports in favor and many against the proposition of paying student- athletes who play sports for their university. As a college athlete, students are putting their bodies on the line each game they play. There’s possibility of suffering a traumatic brain injury or being paralyze after physical contact. These athletes are sacrificing their bodies and physical health at an opportunity to play a game which they love, and hopefully play it in the professional level. While that’s taking place, college football and basketball are big business that keep expanding. College sports bring in a large amount of revenues. The result is that many of them fail to graduate. Paying college athletes would not ruin amateur sport because even though most college athletes do get scholarship and should focus on their education it doesn’t help them if most of the time they are not attending classes to be in practice or games. College sports do make a high-income and athletes deserve a portion of the revenue they bring their programs.
Tyson Hartnett says, “Contrary to what all the opponents believe, being an athlete is a full-time job. On a typical day, a player will wake up before classes, get a lift or conditioning session in, go to class until 3 or 4 p.m., go to practice, go to mandatory study hall, and then finish homework or study for a test.For a little extra money to see a movie or go out to dinner once a week, my freshman roommate worked a job at the university, earning about $7/hour. He would work his butt off all day, with two or sometimes three basketball training sessions, plus classes and homework, and go to that job for a few hours late at night. He would come back exhausted, but he needed whatever money they would pay him. However, once the season started up, he couldn 't work that job anymore.” Student athletes should be paid due to school and playing a sport taking up all of their time. This is basically the same principle as having a job and going to school. Playing a sport and going to school is equal to working and going to school.
Many debates, court cases, and articles have been produced the past couple of years debating whether college student-athletes should be paid. I specifically chose this topic because it pertains to me, and I can relate to both sides of the argument. Being a student-athlete at St. Lawrence University, I can attest to how much time athletes put into their sport and all the hard-work put in on a daily basis. On one hand, I see how the student-athlete deems him/herself as a full-time athlete and spend more time practicing and working out for their team than they do in the classroom, which entails them to some sort of compensation. I can also see the other side of the argument, and how the athlete is either getting paid with a scholarship
Student athletes should be compensated for their craft, they are the sole reason for the athletic program’s surplus in revenue. Student athletes put in a average of 43.5 hours a week just dedicated to their sport. The amount of time they put in is more than the American average work week which consists of 40 hours. Despite the success of NCAA tournaments, athletes fail to receive any monetary compensation. The NCAA does not pay athletes because they want to maintain its amateur status and the payment would compromise the integrity of intercollegiate
College athletics have become popular over time over the past few decades. Student athletes need to be determined, committed, and focused. The biggest trait needed by the athlete is dedication. The amount of dedication needed to be a student athlete could be overwhelming. Between classes and workouts could exhaust even the best athlete mentally and physically. Students athletes should be proud to get free education and play sports, but education should be valued more than sports . As an athlete, time management is the key to surviving. Athletes need a balance, maintaining at least 40 hours of practice a week, 30 hours a week of class time, and getting some sleep into their schedule too. Maintaining all of these aspects deserves some more credit, more than just a free education. The NCAA can afford to pay athletes, the NCAA makes about 12 billion every year. The NCAA money comes mostly from TV and marketing and makes up less than 10% of all college athletics money. The rest comes from school ticket sales and student fees from the school itself. The NCAA since 2006 profit have doubled since time has gone by and is still increasing from tournaments and school funding. Athletes play an active role in the promotions of these activities,
Imagine if you were told that you had to work 43.5 hours a week, but you were not being paid for the work by your company or business. Would anyone be okay with that? Even if they love what they do, nobody would want to work that long for free. That is exactly what college athletes are being held asked to do. An investigation following a lawsuit by two former University of North Carolina students uncovered that most student athletes spend more than 40 hours per week in practice, the weight room or training room of their facility (Jacobs). Add on to those hours the hours of playing time, and it seems clear that student athletes deserve to be paid to play.
Throughout history college athletics has been a source of revenue. As a result of this revenue, it’s always been debated if student-athletes should get paid a salary. According to the NCAA collegiate athletics revenue add up to some $10.6 billion a year (NCAA…). Unfortunately, some colleges claimed that they can’t afford to compensate the student-athlete for their performance. The NCAA states they are student’s first, athletes second. The term student-athletes implies that all enrolled students who play college sports are engaged in secondary, extra-curricular activities that enhance their education (Gutting). Even though the time required to put in, for practice and games can exceed over 50 hours a week. It’s a bad idea paying student-athletes a salary, but I do believe they should be able to receive some sponsorship money. Their scholarship money is towards college academic fees; it’s almost impossible for a full time student-athlete to obtain a job. A financial reward for their efforts could be very helpful to cover living expenses, medical bills and everyday necessities.
"They are selling our jerseys with our numbers and making money off of ticket sales, so I think college athletes should get paid." Jadeveon Clowney, ex defensive end of the University of South Carolina once said that. Many college athletes believe that they should be paid for the huge amount of revenue they bring into the university. They are the face of their universities producing of millions of dollars for the school just from signing there letter of intent. People pay to see them play, wants autographs, on video games and maybe even on the commercials. Yet these same athletes that are being treating like stars are broke, going to bed on an empty stomach most nights. Many people say these athletes shouldn’t be paid because there already are on a full scholarship and have everything already given to me. Sure they’re going to bed hungry or eating roman noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but that’s no different from a full time student. Athletes content to the fact that they can’t get a job because of time restriction with practices, travel, and school. Other students with jobs only gets the minimum wage which all go towards paying for college which is something student athletes on scholarship doesn’t have to worried. Full time
If you have ever wondered why college athletes are not paid, you are not alone. If you are a sports nut, then you may have even gotten into arguments over the topic. Economic experts do not seem to agree either. If you listen to each side of the argument the answer seems gray, but if you look at the evidence the answer may become clearer. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) should pay Division I student-athletes who participate in men’s basketball and football, because of the amount of money they accumulate for the school and NCAA, because the sport they are a part of is a full time job, and also because many student-athletes struggle financially.
Over the last few decades college athletics has gained immense popularity since the turn of the century. Many people even prefer collegiate sports to professional sports. Whether it is football or basketball, no matter the sport, college athletics bring large amounts of money to their respective Universities as well as increasing the popularity. Many Universities make millions of dollars off the games and the merchandise they sell. The only reason that the Universities make this kind of money is because the student-athletes fill the seats. Yet, even with the Universities making that kind of money off what the student-athletes do, the student-athletes aren’t paid, and there lies the problem. According to NCAA rules, “You are not eligible for participation in a sport if you have ever: Taken pay, or the promise of pay, for competing in that sport” (NCAA Regulations 1). So, that leaves the question “Should College Athletes Be Paid?”
Put yourself in the shoes of a college athlete. Imagine having a daily routine the consist of waking up early for either a workout or practice. After those long early mornings, you head to all your classes. And now that you are going to classes and find out your failing a class, you now have a tutoring session. Finally, you head for another practice at night that will end late which gives you hardly any time for school work. Now just think about what college athletes go through. No time for a job, and not a lot of time to have fun. Do you think you could, do it? For a period, there has been a controversial debate whether college athletes should be getting paid. There are people out there that believe scholarships and other benefits are not enough for those college athletes. College athletes are the ones putting in a great amount of time throughout the week, month, and even years and are either receiving a small amount of scholarship money or even a full scholarship. The colleges athletes should get paid to
First of all, college athletes work countlessly to help their team. According to www.listland.com, NCAA athletes spend an average of 43.3 hours on their sport, when the average american works only 34.4 hours per week. NCAA athletes work harder and longer than the average american but don’t have a salary. NCAA’s own tournament schedule require students to miss class for nationally televised games. If students were to miss class, it should be important if they were making money. Also, they are missing out on what they paid for, an education. How the NCAA can repay them is by actually paying the athletes. This why college athletes deserve to be paid, because they work hard for no apparent reason
Is sacrificing your life for sports worth it? Many college athletes would say yes to this question. For having the opportunity of being a college athlete I have been injured in extreme way, not only was I out of practice for the sport I play but school as well. It took a huge toll on me, not only physically but mentally. I had to pay out of pocket for this injury with having to get prescriptions and for going to the hospital. College athletes should be paid for many reasons. In 2003 611 students were on scholarship to be playing a sport for the college they are attending. I believe student athletes should be paid. There’s numerous reasons why student athletes are going to school full time and still having to go to mandatory practice every single day. Not only do they have to wake up for 5am or even 6am weights/practice after they have to make it on time for an 8am class, and be able to go to school full time and having another 4-5 practice. By that time the school cafeteria might be closed and what do they expect the athletes to eat? Even on early practice days on the weekends students’ choices are very limited. College athletes should get paid because they have to pay for personal expenses, like food. The amount of time with sports and school is the amount of a full-time job. Athletes are at survivor risk of injury. Here in Hawai’i there are many college athletes on scholarship.