Analysis: Why College Athletes Should Be Paid

College athletics is a multi-million dollar industry and has been for a long time. Due to the increasing ratings of college sports, the figure will continue to rise. Bigger, stronger athletes will generate more money. College Universities generate so much revenue during the year that it is only right to compensate these athletes. College athletes devote much of their time and energy to their teams, and in return the teams often receive a great deal of money, so these students athletes should be paid.

“Athletes during the early and mid-1900’s were routinely recruited and paid to play and there were several instances where individuals representing the schools were not enrolled as students. There is one report of a Midwestern university using

seven members of its team that included the town blacksmith, a lawyer, and delivery man, and four railroad employees” (“Point/Counterpoint: Paying College Athletes.”). Yet college athletes who generate the majority of the revenue receive no such compensation. “In 1948, the NCAA adopted a Sanity Code that limited financial aid for athletes to tuition and fees, and required that aid otherwise be given based on need. In the early 1950s, with the threat of several southern schools bolting from the NCAA, the code was reversed to allow athletic scholarships to cover tuition, fees, and living accommodations” (Bronson). And this principal has remained the same in the NCAA to this day.
The NCAA makes billions of dollars a year, yet none of that profit goes to the players generating that money.

“The NCAA basketball tournament generated $9 million per year in 1981, $215 million per year in 19997, and approximately $750 million per year now” (Gilleran). This shows the increase in demand in college sports. All revenue that colleges generate go directly to the NCAA, the coaches, and the schools. The money goes to the people involved in the events, except the athletes. “Last year the NCAA raked in a record $1 billion in revenue from media rights fees, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and a proliferation of television ads anchored around the three week long tournament” (Bronson). So in return for playing for three weeks straight, generating a billion dollars, the athletes receive nothing. “Most economists who have studied the NCAA view it as a cartel that attempts to produce rents by restricting output and limiting payments for inputs such as player compensation. Fifty colleges report annual revenues that exceed $50 million. Meanwhile, five colleges report annual revenues that exceed $100 million” (“The NCAA Racket: $10 Billion 'Non-Profit' Organization”). This means that they receive maximum profit without the responsibility of having to compensate many people for their revenue. “Head football coaches at the 44 NCAA Bowl Championship Series schools received on average $2.1 million in salaries. 40 out of 50 U.S. states have a university or college coach as

the highest paid public employee” (Bronson). So coaches and other authority positions are being compensated, but not the actual players that result in the revenue of the colleges. One of the most lucrative contracts connected to colleges is with the NCAA basketball tournament every year and its broadcasting rights. “In 2010 the NCAA signed a 14-year, $10.8 billion contract with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting, paid over the 14-year term. The deal was extended in April 2016 for a combined total rights fee of $8.8 billion that will keep the tournament on the networks until 2032” (Gilleran). This is one of the highest television contract from any sport at any level. The NBA or NHL have deals not even half this amount, yet their athletes are being paid millions of dollars per year. Colleges are using these athletes to boost their reputations and bring in revenue while not giving compensation to those athletes for their work. With the billion of dollars made each year, there is no financial reason why the players shouldn’t be paid.
Another reason for college athletes being paid is the countless hours that they put towards their sport. “On average, college athletes participate in 40-60 hours of their sports’ activities per week” (Deutsch). This takes up most of a student athlete’s day and this doesn’t take into account the fact they still have to go to classes. Stress and other mental issues also happen due to this amount of hours of work. During the sports season athletes also travel across the country for games, which causes fatigue and not always finishing school duties or be able to receive help from their teachers. As the student-athletes are doing all these activities, they still have to worry about getting or keeping money. Although scholarships include education and living place, this doesn’t always include food or other necessities. Usually they need to receive money from home or try to get money some other way. “The NCAA prohibits any students on an athletic scholarship to have a job” (Deutsch). So there is no way for them to get any consistent income other than family and friends. The education that they are given as compensation isn’t even of high quality. “Student-athletes often receive a notoriously watered-down education, cheapening the true value of that scholarship” (Deutsch). So when the athletes aren’t at practice or a game, the education that is considered their compensation isn’t even of good value. Usually colleges will put these athletes in easy classes or professors and teachers will give special attention or exceptions to these athletes. This leads to the level of education being lower than that of an average college student. College athletes dedicate their time and effort into their sports they’re playing and don’t receive much reward in return.
Most college athletes don’t even reach the professional level of their sport. “The athletes won't have any working experience when they get into the real world” (Deutsch). Because of the rule that student-athletes aren’t allowed to get a job while playing their sport, when they leave college, they will be at a disadvantage trying to get a quality job. Usually college athletes will have internships or other opportunities in the field they’re going into. But these student-athletes don’t get that opportunity. “Many College athletes live in poverty because the money they get is not sufficient enough to pay for all of the expenses and basic necessities” (Deutsch). Not only is there problems with income after college, but also while in college. Food, clothing, and other necessities aren’t usually provided by the scholarships, so it comes straight for the student. They are responsible for getting money from some source, like family. But many college athletes live in poverty or go into poverty due to these expenses. “Paying college athletes would be good for everyone and players would be forced to go for college education instead of only concerning on their sports” (McCauley). Since the student t athletes are primarily focused on sports, they don’t focus on creating a career for themselves. They keep the thought that they will reach the professional level when most do not. When they don’t reach the pros, college athletes hold no financial stability and have a lower chance of creating a reliable source of income.
There are also arguments on why student athletes shouldn’t be paid.

One being, “college athletes receive a free education” (McCauley). As mentioned earlier the education that they receive is not the value of a typical college student. These athletes aren’t treated the same as their peers and don’t receive as challenging or as good of quality as any average college student. Also, most college athletes don’t even stay in college for the full four years. This is due to them not being able to afford staying in college and need to find a job, or they reach the pros. Compensating them in college would give them a reason to stay for all four years and possibly graduate. “Would all the athletes get paid the same amount? If so, that certainly seems strange and borderline unfair” (McCauley). Just like professional sports, different sports get different amounts of revenue. A professional U.S. basketball player will make more money than a professional volleyball player. So that would be the same in college. If the sport the athlete plays makes more revenue for that school, then they would receive higher compensation. If the athlete holds more value and creates even more revenue for the school, they are obligated to higher pay. Just like in professional sports, the more value a player had, the higher they would be

compensated.
College athletes devote much of their time and energy to their teams, and in return the teams often receive a great deal of money, so these student athletes should be paid. The time they put into their sport is equivalent to the time put into working an actual job, if not more. Although most receive scholarships, that does not take into account the other expenses that aren’t paid and players not on full-ride scholarships Colleges should pay the athlete as if there sport was their job to help them pay off college and other expenses.