Should Student Athletes Be Paid?

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Recommended: "Paying College Athletes." Issues & Controversies. Facts on File News Services, 21 June 2010

Compensation Beyond Scholarships When it comes to college athletics, the controversy lies in this question, “Should student athletes be paid?” People are either for college athletes getting paid or they are against the idea. With the growing popularity of college athletics, many questions have been raised about player compensation. How fair it is to pay players and how to pay players who operate at different skill levels. Since not every athlete aspires to play pro or has the same work ethic as another player, deciding on compensating college athletes can be difficult. However, if given the opportunity, players should be able to accept compensation from outside sources. Only 1.5% of all college football and basketball players will make it …show more content…

College athletics is FOR the players” (Posnanski 525). But is it really? Students are being televised and are given that opportunity to be seen by recruiters for the major leagues, but the NCAA and the universities benefit a lot more than the students do by these athletics programs. Students are gaining experience but unlike any other profession, the experience you gain probably will not serve you in finding a job. If players are going to “work” for the universities for four years, then they ought to be able to make a profit off of their tireless effort and demanding work. If players are given the opportunity to make money and be paid, they should be able to accept these offers. Yes, extra expenses such as plane tickets home and other personal costs are a luxury, but if other full-time students can afford these luxuries and the ability to work towards them, shouldn’t the full-time student athletes be able to as well? Student athletes work just as hard in their field as the other non-athlete students do.
One of the main arguments against paying student athletes is that they are being paid with a free education, but when education is no longer a priority and students are worked day in and day out at practices there is a problem with this argument. Education must always be put first. If talented players are offered promotions by outside corporations they must have opportunity to accept, make decisions for themselves, and learn how to prioritize their time accordingly. However, it should be the university and NCAA’s job to educate their athletes and ensure that they are getting the education promised to

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