Essay about Should College Athletes Be Paid?

College athletes are undoubtedly some of the hardest working people in the world. Not only are they living the life of an average student, they also have a strenuous schedule with their specific sport. One of the most discussed topics in the world of college athletics is whether or not student-athletes should be paid money for playing sports. The people who disagree with the idea have some good arguments to make. Primarily that the athletes get to go to school for free for playing sports. Another argument is that if student-athletes were to get paid then it would ruin the amateurism of college sports. People who are against paying the athletes do not want to see the young people become focused on money. “Paying student-athletes

Whether college athletes should or should not get paid has been a controversial topic throughout the Collegiate Athletic Association for many years now. According to the article “My Priceless Opportunity” by Bill Walton , he believes that NCAA student athletes should not get paid because “the players entering the game know the rules going in and that they have been given a chance to make something of their lives in exchange for the privilege of being a student athlete”. Others like Michael Wilbon, author of “As Colleges’ Greed Grows, So Does the Hypocrisy”, thinks student athletes should get paid due to their hard work and labor. While I respect and admire the diligent task of being both a student and an athlete, I strongly agree with Bill Walton and the many others who support college athletes not being paid.

An article written by Ryan Swanson of the Washington Post, Swanson points out that these college athletes deserve to be paid but have limited rights due to the NCAA guidelines. The NCAA is a multi-billion dollar corrupt business, that is supposed to protect their athletes not to exploit them for money. (Swanson)

“College athletes are being educated, not exploited”(Ackerman, Scott). Some people believe that college athletes are being exploited because the colleges don't pay their athletes. People think that the players should get paid since the colleges make so much money. However the money that the colleges makes shouldn't play a factor in the athletes getting paid because the athletes receive so many benefits from their college already. College athletes do not deserve to get paid from their colleges that they play for. Most of the athletes have gotten scholarships to play for that college team. The scholarships that the athletes receive include books, tuition, food, gas, fees and other college related needs. So they have no need for a paycheck from their college when all of their needs are paid for. College athletes just don't deserve to get paid because they are not professional athletes yet (CNN News) (Daily local News).

College athletes should be paid. The athletes put in as much work as the people who do get paid. Why should they not be paid? There are many pros for why they should get paid, but there are also many cons on why they should not get paid. The athletes should get paid because of how hard they work in season and the off-season. Do not pay all of the athletes, but pay the ones who are at a D1 college. The athletes should get paid because they put in the same amount of time as the pros do, and the pros get paid.

If college athletes were to start being paid, many questions would start to surface. The big question that would pop up first is, “What sports get paid?” Statistics show that football and basketball are the major revenue sports that actually make money for their universities, while most other college sports do not. While football brings in on average the most revenue, basketball is close to second. Another question that may be asked is, “How will the money be split?” Like many others, the writer believes that the biggest question lies in which areas of competition would get paid. Famous Fab Five member Jalen Rose states that, “Every student athlete should be paid $2000 a year” (Salvador). However, if you do that, in fairness, would one pay a star football player and a star rowing team member the same amount of money? Or would a woman athlete get paid just as much as a male athlete? If this not the case then it becomes extremely unfair and would just cause controversy. Fairness is important when coming to this, especially the fairness between females and males. There are several different questions that need to be reviewed and that proves why college athletes should not be paid. It would cause absolute chaos and a plethora

The question of whether or not college athletes should get paid is of heated debate in todays times. While many believe that student athletes are entitled to income, It remains undougtibly a concern of moral interest to universities across the country. This paper is going to explain the pros and cons that come with allowing student athletes the right to receive a salary.

Due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and regulations no college athlete is able to receive any compensation or endorsement while participating in college athletics. These rules have long been challenged, however no changes have been made by the NCAA. With universities grossing close to $200 million a year college athletics has turned into one of the top industries in the world. The NCAA is a governing body of college athletics, but without people questioning the NCAA and demanding changes to the monopoly that the NCAA is nothing will happen to the unfairness to college athletes like it is currently.

College athletes have traditionally never been paid in the modern era. The amateur tradition that we know actually began in Victorian times during the 19th century. (Classical athletes in Greek and Roman times were always professionals no matter what their status.) This state of affairs has been accepted over the last 200 years in Western culture.

There have been ongoing arguments over the past decade of whether or not college athletes should be paid to play. Many argue that they do not have time to get real jobs because the requirements for the sport that they participate in are far too demanding. Others cite that these athletes are provided full scholarships to attend the schools at which they are playing the sport. However regardless of the argument, I still feel that college athletes should NOT be paid to play.

Paying college athletes has been frowned upon until now. A number of colleges are trying to pay their athletes for their commitment to their sports. Paying college athletes should not be something controversial, but something ethically right due to what they go through to get to this point. What these athletes do year round: compete fiercely in a sport or multiple sports, is challenging and very risky injury wise, which is the least to say about what they offer up to play their sports. A report shows that “86 percent of college athletes live below the poverty line” ( Hayes ). Despite this high percentage, these athletes still continue to thrive and surpass the struggle to pursue a life goal. College athletes should get paid because of their hard work, dedication, and the exposure they give for the school they represent.

The scholarships given to college athletes are not sufficient enough to sustain them throughout the year, which is why I believe they should get paid and receive benefits. Student athletes, especially football and basketball players, play a major role in generating revenue for schools, businesses, coaches and the players do not see a penny. College athletes often do not have money in their pockets for extra food, clothes, housing and extracurricular activities. They also can potentially get dropped from their teams due to injury, leaving them incapable of paying for college. College athletes should be treated like every other employee because they work hard, and make everyone but themselves a lot of money.

Imagine getting up at 6 a.m. for a morning working, going to class from about 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., having practice from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and then going to study tables for about two hours after practice. This is just a typical day in the life of a college athlete. During the seasons they are putting in upwards of 12 hours a day into their school work and sport, and have only a reduced tuition and the pride of representing their university to show for it. College athletes are working full time jobs and providing universities with billions of dollars, its time that these athletes should have the opportunities they deserve. Whether that is to either go directly in professional sports, or be paid by the NCAA. This topic is often brought up in the world of college sports and is continuing to pick up steam as college athletics gain popularity. While these athletes do sign letters of intents stating that they are still amateur athletes and must remain amateurs throughout their years of competing in college, that it goes against our American belief that allows everybody a chance to pursue their dreams. The system in place now requires these young athlete to sacrifice a year of their professional careers to go to college and without any intentions of graduating with a degree.

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.

College athletes are finally getting attention on the fact that they are not paid. I believe that whether or not it is college or pro sports they deserve a salary. These players put their heart and soul on the field and get nothing in return. In the articles “Athletes New Day” by Paul Marx and “College Athletes Should Not Be Paid” by Warren Hartenstine, the reasons for college athletes to be paid are very evident. No matter the case, if the students move on to pro sports or not after college, they should be entitled to some pay for their contributions. College athletes deserve to be compensated for their playtime in these sports, sales of products with their name on it, and even compensation for their injuries.