Are College Athletes Entitled to Pay?
Every year, top colleges earn a lot of money from college sports. The universities and colleges benefit from these initiatives to $30 and perhaps $40 million a year, but the players receive nothing. These are the same players that toil every day for the university without receiving a penny of that money, and that doesn’t seem fair to me. I am aware of your possible assumptions, such as that these student-athletes receive free education or financial aid to play sports at that university. That seems like the least they could do.
What corporation out there could run a business and not pay its employees? I think as I watch college football on Saturdays in crowded stadiums filled with jubilant spectators paying high prices for a ticket. You’d think I was referring to a Third World nation! Please pay the players right away!
Consider this: both large and small colleges in Dallas pay their coaches six-figure salaries. These college coaches receive many benefits along the way, including shoe contracts, T.V. and radio contracts, and many others. Additionally, they may be offered a coaching position elsewhere with better pay and more benefits if they are successful coaches and win games. Yet, the student-athletes receive nothing; in my opinion, something needs to be done to change this. Pay the players now, please!
They’ll keep reminding you that the athletes receive free instruction, books, lodging, and the opportunity to earn a quality college degree that will last a lifetime. Then what? Pay the athletes! I consider my time in college to be slave labor! On the backs of these players, coaches profit greatly. There are rumors of college players accepting payments or receiving cash under the table. You hear these tales of players obtaining automobiles and large sums of money, as well as of people acquiring all of these things in addition to others. You learn that the players’ families purchased homes and cars so they could enroll in that collegiate program. This is continuously practiced in silence!
Why do the players accept this cash, these vehicles, these homes for their families, and so much more? One of the reasons is recruitment; some college programs believe they must provide these items to attract top-tier recruits. However, not all college programs must offer something in exchange for these students. It is a significant deal for these youngsters to receive money because some players come from low-income homes, especially if the athletes and their families are already struggling financially.
College athletics are challenging. These players dedicate a significant amount of time to the first position, working hard every day of the week. They attend class all day, followed by practice after practice, then, if they can, they try to have dinner before heading to their studies. You may think everything is straightforward, but these student-athletes invest a lot of time in their activities. The coaches then demand more. There can be a film to review, and the athletic trainer might occasionally examine them. You must prioritize your schoolwork and athletic performance to avoid being fired as a student-athlete.
College sports are challenging. If a study table is available for the players, you might not be able to fully concentrate since you may be fatigued at the end of the day and not feel like studying. You may also find that your attention is diverted if a study table is available. Consider the numerous individuals that commute to work each day. They put in a lot of overtime and could have lengthy commutes to and from work. The last thing anyone who is employed wants to do is put in more work hours. Most work people want to unwind, perhaps have a beverage, watch some T.V., and then call it a day. The main distinction is that they are compensated for their work and time, whereas collegiate athletes are not.
One reason most collegiate athletes do not graduate is the time they spend practicing and competing. Because of the intense pressure to perform well, something will inevitably slip, which is their education. Unfortunately, when it comes to student-athletes and their academics, college coaches have been known to turn a blind eye so long as the player can contribute to winning games.
When a college athlete’s eligibility has run out, most collegiate programs no longer require their services. The reason why? These college programs have been exhausting these young people to death for the past four years. The collegiate programs have gotten more than they bargained for from these guys. It only matters to win games and earn large sums of money at whatever level, including college.
Consider baseball. A major league baseball team may give him a contract if a high school baseball player is exceptionally talented. I’ve heard that the offer can range from $200,000 to as much as $2 million at times. If that high school baseball player keeps that money, they will be ineligible to play in college. Some high school baseball players decide against taking the money to go to college, where they can improve and hone their baseball abilities in the hopes of being picked once more by a professional league team. Many baseball players in high school decide to try their luck in the big leagues by accepting the money and risk. Unfortunately, many athletes never make it to the main leagues. Some players spend years in the minor leagues before realizing their aim of making the major leagues unattainable and switching their focus to something else.
You cannot return and attempt to play college baseball after taking that money. For all other sports, the same holds. High school basketball players will try out for the NBA, while young men will try out for the NFL. Many of these athletes never tried their hand at education, and many of those who did attend college never received their degrees.
