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Should College Athletes Be Paid?

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College sports are one of the largest and fastest growing markets in today’s culture. With some college sports games attracting more viewers than their professional counterparts, the NCAA is one of the most profiting organizations in America. Recently there has been controversy in the world of college sports as to whether the college athletes that are making their universities and the NCAA money should receive payment while they are playing their respective sport. Many believe that these athletes should be paid. Others argue that they are already receiving numerous benefits for playing that sport from their universities. Many of the proponents of paying college athletes are current or former college athletes who believe their hard work and hours put into practice and competing go under appreciated. They feel that while the athletes are making the university money, the athletes do not receive any cut of these profits. Opponents feel that athletes already receive numerous perks and should not receive extra compensation on top of the perks they already receive. NCAA participation rates have been rising both in the number of teams and as well as the student athletes competing in college athletics. Women’s sports added 140 new programs and men’s added 111. Along with these added programs, the number of students who participate in the 23 sports sponsored by the NCAA has risen to 472,625 participants. (Johnson) The NCAA revenue for the 2011-2012 school year was $871.6 million and

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