Instutition:
Abstract
Keywords: college athletes, coaches, profit, billions, professionals, amateurs
Firstly, the fact that college athletes do not make money is not right because they are considered to be amateurs although they make a lot of money for other people. This is a business which makes billions and only college athletes do not get paid in this process. “Several college coaches have gained celebrity status and corresponding compensation packages” (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2015, p. 115). Unfortunately, the athletes only get their expenses covered, but nothing more which seems unfair because other students are allowed to earn money while still having full scholarships. These students are usually musicians and athletes should not be treated differently because it is hypocritical. People might think that athletes who play sports in high school might also ask for salaries if the college athletes get them, but it is not the same because college athletes generate much greater amounts of money. College athletes actually play sports professionally, but they are not rewarded or marketed in such a way and their effort seems to be irrelevant because they do not get paid. However, they deserve to be paid because of the effort they make and because there is enough money which should be spent on them because they earned it. It is not enough that they have their expenses and accommodation covered. Since billions are involved in this business related to colleges, athletes have to be paid because that is the right thing to do. There would be no money if the students did not play sports and it is a fact that they are doing it professionally while studying at the same time.
Moreover, coaches make millions as well as their assistants which is why college athletes deserve to be paid since they are certainly not amateurs. “The NCAA has never been more vulnerable and on the defensive with regard to its policies and practices, especially its reliance on the age-old characterization of college athletes as “amateurs” (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2015, p. 115). It is far from the truth that these players are amateurs since their coaches make millions of dollars per season. The tickets for their games are very expensive and they have many sponsors which is why it is only fair for college athletes to be paid. Too much money is being generated as a result of college athletes playing sports, which is why they should be paid. It might have been fine if less money was earned because of them, but it seems that everybody is making money apart from the players who are far from being amateurs because amateurs do not make profit.
Furthermore, college athletes deserve to get paid because of the fact that everybody else including the college is getting paid and they are the main reason which attracts money. The games are advertised and the coaches are becoming famous, while at the same time, college athletes only get paid tuition and accommodation. “The NCAA’s collectively imposed maximum compensation – formally an athletic scholarship – this is limited to tuition, room, board, books, and fees” (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2015, p. 116). They deserve much more because they are the real stars who attract the money which is given to other people. It is fine that they are encouraged to concentrate on their studies, but it does not mean that they will become worse students if they begin to earn some money.
Another point is that only college athletes who make money for the coaches and for college should be paid. This is not supposed to make athletes from other disciplines discouraged because it is a fair thing to do. “The university exists to serve the student. On the other hand the athlete serves the university. He is already proficient and his skills are immediately useful” (Wieder, 1987, p. 45). Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for the college athletes not to be paid since they are professionals who are working for the benefit of the university. The university needs to recognize that and to give the adequate compensation to the athlete who is the real star that deserves popularity.
Also, athletes who play sports that do not generate profit should not be paid. However, those who make money for college have to be paid because they are professional entertainers on top of being professional athletes. “Marginal players often lose their scholarships regardless of their performance in the classroom” (Wieder, 1987, p. 47). Therefore it is hypocritical not to pay college athletes who generate billions when the performance on the court does matter. Playing sports in colleges is not just for building the team spirit although colleges are trying to justify the fact that the athletes are not being paid with this reason. However, the fact that coaches earn so much to become popular means that athletes should stop being treated as amateurs since they are professionals. The players are the only ones who are not getting paid for their work and they dedicate too much time to their practice and to working out at the gym. They need to be physically fit in order to achieve good results which does not leave them much time for studying. Therefore, they need to be stimulated for all the work they do both physical and intellectual. Colleges have to recognize the severity of this problem and to solve it in the best possible way. The college athletes will not make millions, but they should be paid a reasonable amount of money.
Another issue is that colleges support the thesis that having a scholarship compensates for the services of the college athletes. However, these athletes are more valuable than they are awarded. Moreover, “concerns about the physical safety of athletes have always been present and are evident today” (Hanford, 1979, p. 68). College students could suffer from a severe injury which could disable them from participating in sports forever. In such a case the students would be prevented from becoming a professional player one day and would also lose a scholarship. Implementing the program through which the athletes get paid should not be difficult because the college athletes would have contracted which would set all the rules which both sides would have to respect. A set of rules has to be established which would be respected by the college as well as by the students so that the justice could be satisfied. Being offered scholarship and tuition along with board as well as books is not enough because the athletes should also get salaries like their coaches do. The college athletes would have to remain good students and maintain good behavior. This would be a good investment and would motivate students in a way which has not existed so far.
Many colleges have great teams consisted of very talented players who become great professionals after college in the case that they do not drop out of college. There are colleges which attract better players than other colleges, but all of them have a certain number of players who generate profit. “The need to win on the field has thus led to those ethical problems in the recruiting, financial subsidy, and on-campus care-and-feeding of college athletes” (Hanford, 1979, p. 72). This need for winning is expected because it affects the team spirit as well as the financial awards.
It is true that colleges compete to attract the most talented players and this would be achieved in a better way if they offered a salary to the athletes. There is also another point which makes it reasonable for college athletes to be paid and it is related to the fact that the players who are talented remain enrolled in college for a longer period of time. If a college athlete understands that they are earning a salary while still in college, they might not drop out of it when they get a chance of playing sports professionally. Colleges should become the places which encourage excellence in studying and in playing sports which is why they should work in the best interest of the college athletes. Many college students who were very talented dropped out of college to pursue their professional careers in the leagues where they were paid adequately. Students do not want to waste time on studying and playing sports if they are not paid for it which is also the right thing to do.
References
Sanderson, A. R., & Siegfried, J. J. (2015). The Case for Paying College Athletes. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(1), 115-137.
Wieder, A. (1987). Big Time College Sports: The Advocates of Professionalization. Journal of Thought, 22(1), 45-47.
Hanford, G. H. (1979). Controversies in College Sports. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 445, 66-79.
