An Argument Why College Athletes Should Receive a Compensation from the NCAA

To pay or not to pay, that is the question. This is the biggest question being asked about college athletes today. Should athletes receive money for their hard work and dedication, or is a free- education more than enough. College athletics is a multibillion dollar industry that showcases the best athletes in America in a variety of sports from soccer to baseball to basketball (Ngongang 1). Is it time that these athletes to receive compensation from the NCAA for playing in such a big-revenue sports?

The NCAA is a private, nonprofit, volunteer, membership-driven association of more than 900 colleges and universities of every kind, along with more than 300 conferences, affiliated organizations and corresponding individuals and institutions. It is enormously complex and diverse, and it is subject to all of the insoluble economic, social, ethical, and political pressures of any other large organization in this country (Smith&Dempsey 2).

Many people feel that college athletes receive enough because of the free education they will get. The executive vice president of Notre Dame Father William Beuchamp says, student-athletes entertain us with their special skills and, in compensation, receive educations that are worth tens of thousands of real dollars with promise of hundreds of thousands more in future earnings; and the lifetime benefits of wisdom and character that come with being educated men and women.

Athletes should fight for travel stipends, increased meal plan benefit and NCAA recognized discounts at local stores. There are rules now in the NCAA guide book that are ridiculous, prohibiting athletes from taking gifts from friends and man other thing we regular students dont think twice about. Money paid to athletes will do nothing but cheapen the sports worth and taint the heritage of the game (Ngongang 1).

On the other hand there are many people who feel that college athletes should receive more money, because of the huge revenue that college sports gathers. ESPN analyst Dan Patrick says, I just happen to think that student-athletes in the big sports at the big schools deserve more. Because when the school capitalizes on the athletes via merchandise, ticket sales, tournament and bowl fees and huge TV deals, the athletes deserve to share in the profits.

Patrick continues, predatory agents would have a harder time luring these kids with jewelry and money if their wallets were just a little bit fatter. They dont need to get rich but they should be able to live more comfortably by getting a share in the revenue they work so hard to produce. These young men and women are athlete-students. We should treat them that way.

I dont think that college athletes should be paid millions of dollars, but I feel that every student- athletes should receive some sort of compensation from the NCAA for their efforts. The Sporting News writer Chris Bahr agrees, I dont think the debate on this topic started because players felt like they should be compensated like pro athletes; I believe that it started because as a scholarship player, you are living on the edge of poverty. You are not allowed to have monetary income during the school year. It would have been almost physically impossible to have a job, practice, maintain your grades and stay eligible.

Broderick Hicks, a junior on the Wake Forest basketball team adds, we may not pay tuition, but its not free, I think the whole free education thing is just to pacify us and the public. I know the schools dont want to pay their athletes, and I dont think the schools should. I think the NCAA should. That way, they can monitor and make sure nobodys getting any more than anybody else (Jerardi 3).

I believe that college athletes should receive some compensation from the NCAA. Although these athletes receive a free education there are still many expenses that a college student must pay for out of their own pockets. Since the NCAA is the biggest money making non-profit organization they should be able to afford to give these kids an equal piece of the pie. I know that it will be a long time before college athletes are ever paid, but I hope someday there will be an equal amount distributed to every athlete in Division I sports. A monthly allowance of equal distribution would be the best way to handle this situation. That way the players are receiving something extra, but not enough to disturb the integrity of the games.