College Sports - Slavery and the NCAA

3437 Words7 Pages

Abstract: Collegiate athletes participating in the two revenue sports (football, men's basketball) sacrifice their time, education, and risk physical harm for their respected programs. The players are controlled by a governing body (NCAA) that dictates when they can show up to work, and when they cannot show up for work. They are restricted from making any substantial financial gains outside of their sports arena. These athletes receive no compensation for their efforts, while others prosper from their abilities. The athletes participating in the two revenue sports of college athletics, football and men's basketball should be compensated for their time, dedication, and work put forth in their respected sports.

They are imported from all sides of the continent, entering new territories where they will be isolated from the rest of the surrounding population. They are placed in a working environment, which requires their attention at all times. They are managed, controlled, and dominated by their bosses. They are pushed to their physical limits every time they go to work. They are forced to compete against others of their kind. They are paid next to nothing for their efforts. They are collegiate athletes.

The two revenue sports in college athletics are men's basketball, and football. These teams make millions of dollars, while the individual athlete receives no compensation for their efforts. They are controlled by a governing body (NCAA), which tells them when they work, and when they can't work (Barra). The teams are lead into battle by their coaches, their leaders. These coaches, leaders, partake in an annual payout in upwards of two million dollars, plus endorsement deals. Why then, in a country that...

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...: Exploiting College Athletes. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1995.

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Eitzen, Stanley. "Slaves of Big-Time College Sports." USA Today Magazine Sept. 2000.

Eitzen, Stanley. Sport In Contemporary Society. New York: Worth Publishers, 2001.

Farrey, Tom. "Play-For-Pay: Not Yet, But Soon?." ESPN: The Magazine 28 Mar. 2001

Greenlee, Craig. Black Issues in Higher Education 17 Apr. 2000.

Jerardi, Dick. "It's All Work, No Pay In NCAA." Seattle Times 22 Oct 2000.

Suggs, Welch. "NCAA Faces Wave Of Criticism Over Crackdown On Payments To Players While In High School." 17 Mar. 2000

Wulf, Steve. "Why Not Pay College Athletes, Who Put In Long Hours To Fill Stadiums-And Coffers?" Time 21 Oct. 1996: 19

Zimbalist, Andrew. Unpaid Professionals. New Jersey: Princeton, 1999.

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