Rewarding College Athletes

The issue of whether college athletes should be paid has been a continuous and never ending debate. Interested in this whole controversy, I researched both sides of this issue. People for this claim that since the players are the ones bringing in the revenue and the ones at risk of injury, they should be the ones getting paid. Coaches salaries increase year after year, yet the players are still the only party not to benefit financially. Also athletes from poor backgrounds cannot rely on families for money, so because of the demands of collegiate sports, there is no time for jobs. Paying athletes could also help steam the tide of players going pro early, and prevent the abuse of players taking money from boosters, and agents. A current example of abuse would be booster Nevin Shapiro from the U of Miami, giving in estimates in the millions benefits to athletes, including cash, prostitutes, trips, jewelry, etc. On the other hand people against this issue believe that only paying men's football and basketball (which would probably be the case) would be challenged in the court. Title IX suits would be filled because female athletes wouldn’t get similar funds. More money for female sports would consequently make other male sports suffer. Another big issue is where would the money come from? Only 14 programs at the big time schools (U of Texas, Ohio State, Norte Dame, etc) enjoy a revenue. So schools with more money would have a huge advantage for recruitment over smaller schools. Also deciding which athletes would be paid, or how much you would pay them are big questions that would have to be answered. Personally I believe that college athletes should not be paid. It is not fair to the millions of other students who go to school. Universities are institutions that will pave the way for us to get jobs. If athletes are paid in college, what motivation do they have to graduate? I agree that athletes spend lots of time practicing to represent their school, but they already receive a scholarship with a free education. Paying athletes would not stop the corrupt activity going on, because that will always exist regardless of the situation. If this issue was ever to become possible it would probably be the big football and basketball stars being the only ones paid. It's these superstars who more than likely are the ones being drafted professionally, where they would be paid in millions. Being paid will only open the gate for professionals in college, instead of working hard to become a professional. However this is only my opinion, and in the end will become the decision of the NCAA.

-Jessica Martinez KIN 332I TU/TH 12:30-1:45

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/06/09/the-problems-with-paying-college-athletes/2/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904060604576572752351110850.html