In the sports industry, many conflicts and decisions develop. One major issue over sports is whether to pay college athletes or not. Some people feel paying college athletes would be a great change, while others believe it will lead to an increase in problems and corruption. There are reasonable arguments for both views on this matter.
There are many sensible reasons as to why college athletes should be paid. These athletes are only seeing what everybody else is getting. College sports bring in cash trough ticket sales, merchandise, fees for playoff appearances. When items such as jerseys with their numbers on them are being sold, it can be viewed as unfair because the athlete doesn’t receive any of that profit. Their school’s take in an extensive amount of money from corporate sponsors, and the coaches are paid millions of dollars, while athletes don’t get any of that money. These athletes put in a lot of effort through hard practices, training, while they receive an education at their college. It is also known that the NCAA rules limit the jobs college athletes have. An athlete cannot hold a job paying him/her over $2000 during the year. (http://reallythink.blogspot.com/2003/04/should-college-athletes-be-paid.html)
On the opposite end of this topic, there are many reasons why paying college athletes would not be a good idea. When going into a college for a sport, students receive scholarships which pay for most, if not all of their necessities anyway. Scholarships enforce the student athlete to keep their grades up so they can keep this money given to them. These students are already getting free meals, merchandise, and exposure so why add more money? College athletes should not be paid because it is not their job to play in a sport. They are in college which means they are getting an education while entertaining themselves with a sport. They are students playing a sport in college, not professional athletes. It is not their career so they should not be paid as if it were one. Another reason why paying college athletes is not a good idea, is because the differences in salaries will cause more problems. It will be tough to determine how much these players receive, why they receive what they do. Questions of who is getting paid more and why, will begin problems. Also, it may bring dismay to smaller schools who cannot necessarily afford scholarships to being in the best “stars” to attend their college.
The Essay on Commercialization Of College Sport
sociologyofsport “I’m going to have to let you go,” says coach Tim Koth to another former player as he adds another notch to his belt. “It’s nothing personal, I like you,” he says, “but I have to look at this as a business.” Is that what it is? I always looked at sport as an outlet, or even an opportunity; but sport is a business, that has become the cruel reality of modern day sport. This paper ...
The only fair way to pay college athletes is all equally. Giving more money to the better player’s will decrease teamwork, and take education of these students minds. All they will think about it how to become better and gain more money. That may also involve choosing the school that pays the most, and what happens to the small schools then?
Although both views are reasonable, I do not feel college athletes should be paid. They receive many free things already, and their scholarships are what they should be working for. Students will think less of schoolwork and education, and more of sports and how to get more money if the NCAA decided to set salaries for college athletes. Only professionals should be paid, because it is their career. Although colleges may be bringing in millions because of college athletics, these athletes are still students and should be treated so.
