Payment Issue for College Football and Basketball Athletes

I believe they should if they are making money for the university. Some college say they only have the scholarships to look forward to when being in college because they don’t have any money to buy food. Most successful college sports teams rake in millions of dollars in revenue. Steve Spurrier, the coach for the Florida Gators signed a six year contract where he would make a little over 2.5 million dollars a year not including certain benefits like a free car for his wife. So with the institutions and coaches getting rich o% their player who is to say that the player does not deserve a share of the wealth?

Student athletes should be compensated for their work, as they are the biggest reason for the money the university receives. These athletes are working hard and bringing in money to the University every day, but aren’t rewarded with any monetary value. These athletes are working for the schools and are doing a service to the college that they don’t get acknowledged for. This lack of pay is not seen anywhere else in the work place and shouldn’t be seen in college.

Colleges are using these athletes to boost their respective reputations and bring in revenue while not compensating these athletes for their work. Everywhere else athletes are paid, so why shouldn’t college students too when they are putting their career on the line. People say that college athletes are amateurs and should not be paid because they’re not “experienced” but, how if they were talented when the college looked into them. Hockey players a part of the AHL (Amateur Hockey League) are considered to be amateurs but are compensated for their work. The most important reason to pay college athletes, is that it will ensure that most college athletes will complete their college degrees.

If athletes are paid to play, they can they cover some of their college expenses that scholarships couldn’t cover, but also now they will want to finish their education. The college athletes organization always say that the athletes are students first and athletes second but, it seems that the athletes that are very talented get drafted and leave college for the pros. In college basketball, many freshman stars are referred to as “one and done” players as they complete one year of college go to the pros and don’t finish their education. The professional leagues early, as they want money and need it as soon as possible so with that being said the importance of their education is lost.

A university’s sole purpose to provide its students with a quality education that prepares them to function in the world. However, without paying athletes, universities leave their students with no other option but to not graduate and withdrawal after a semester or a year to meet their financial obligations. It should be very simple for the universities to compensate their athletes. This is an ongoing argument with athletes and college administrators.