Why College Athletes Deserve a Salary

The NCAA was created in 1905 with help by Theodore Roosevelt. When the late president helped organize this organization he never would have believed the success and popularity over the years. The Ncaa started out to be a place where young athletes could go to further their career. Now the Ncaa is a 11 billion dollar industry. How much of that money goes to education or the players less than ten percent. These young athletes barely can manage in the these circumstances some go hungry and even some go clothless. Even though these athletes aren't given a salary they still are given many accentitives. Most college players are given stipends of two hundred to three hundred dollars a month. Lets not forget that these players get a free college. But to further prove the point this still is not enough. College players dedicate their lives to these sports in college hoping to grow pro but let's face it alot don't make it pro. These players who don't go pro have received nothing but a college scholarship in classes they barley attended. Players are said to be given the chance of a lifetime to compete in the closest thing to professional sports, but that's not true all these players do is go out and risk their bodys every time they go to play.

But some may say its their choice to play so why should they be paid? These players are given some incentives but not enough. Players are given scholarships but those scholarships can be taken away at anytime the player starts do bad or gets seriously injured. Colleges take advantage of these players names. The average jersey sales for around one hundred and ten dollars. A fraction of jersey sales alone could help players financially. College players are not always in it for the money, a lot of the players come from poor families. These players go into this with the mentality that they need to hurry up and get drafted to change their families lives. People who come from poor families understand this alot better when you grow up in a family barely making ends meet. When you have an ability to change that outcome why not do it. This causes players declare for the draft a lot earlier then they should. The best thing for Athlete is to stay and develop their craft in college. But when u have a chance to make millions why not go for it. If these players made a little bit of money they could send their families that could impact their whole life. But also help these players become better athletes. This makes players have an urgent decision either try to go make money or stay in college and watch your family go thru four more years of struggling.

Players also lose an education when this happens, colleges have rule called one and done that doesn't allow the players to come back and finish their education. Professional sports could only be a short time thing, these players always need a plan b, which in this case could that degree that they lose. This rule does make sense but not every player is gonna get drafted so the ones that dont thats it for them,they neither get to play or pursue a higher education. This rule also loses the colleges money, the fans love these players and grow an emotional attachment to them. When these players leave some fans stop coming and buying merchandise. If college athletes had more incentives to stay it would benefit the college. As said previously an average jersey costs one hundred and ten dollars thatr's a lot of money these colleges lose out on. This is why college athletes should earn a salary it not only helps helps the players but the Ncaa and the colleges. One of the biggest reason colleges are so successful is their sports teams. If a college has a good athletic department that makes students want to attend these schools. These colleges make lots of money off these athletes, they have put some schools on the map. These colleges don't see it like that college athletes are a marketing tool.

All this money is made but nothing back to the players. College coaches are paid an average of a million dollars. Thats crazy when their not even the ones on the field risking their bodies. If a college can pay a million dollars to a coach why not a salary of say thirty hours a week at minimum wage to a player it's just ridiculous. Pay would vary to players though not every player is gonna be as good as some, so yes some should make more than others. But even if players don't get paid this money should get put towards education. When the NCAA was first founded in 1905, the opposition to paying student-athletes was akin to the opposition to paying coaches. (If you doubt this, research early criticism of Alonzo Stagg).(Forbes) Colleges cause players to miss class time. When March madness starts players lose a quarter of each class day for practices, when the actual tournament starts they lose full days of school. So this causes players to lose the best possible education for themselves. March madness is a nine point eight billion dollar industry over the last eleven years. These colleges prioritize making money over best possible outcome for their students. Lets not forget these are not just athletes but scholars. Paying college athletes could be a great life lesson.

Seventy three percent of americans are in debt. Colleges could help by paying these players, most athletes waste a lot of their money, being given a salary could help these players learn to manage their money. Budgeting is one of the hardest things to do because most people make it that way. Implementing paying athletes in the Ncaa could help these athletes live better lives. Some would say paying college athletes would lose competitiveness when playing. But thats makes no sense, if you got paid to play in college that is an incentive to be better. As said previously pay will vary better players get paid more money that's just the case. If anything it will get more competitive. These players won't just be competing for a championship but a living. College players cannot seek jobs while playing sports. A average student can get a job but a athlete is prohibited to try and obtain a job. So if a student can get job why can't a student athlete get a job are they both not students? This is the case in many colleges players can try and make money but Ncaa or the colleges don't want to compensate them. This rule is ridiculous this just shows athletes are not considered students but a marketing tool. College athletes are basically working a fulltime job. The average practices are forty three point three hours a week. That's three point three more hours then an average person works per week. So much of these athletes time is spent towards practice that doesn't count scrimmages and games. These athletes are being used to make money and they receive nothing in return but a college education that on average twenty four percent of them don't even receive. Colleges do not allow players to seek money making opportunities. For examples like partnerships with brands or endorsements.

These athletes can't get a job, don't get a salary and can't seek these endorsements. This is a full time job playing college sports these players dedicate their mental and physical bodies to these organizations and they get barely anything in return. Some may say they get scholarships but that's only eighty to one hundred thousand dollars that still seems like a lot but compared to what these layers bring in for these schools thats not that much money. Being a professional athlete is tough. There is billions of people on this earth but only fractions of them play sports at this high of a level. This again is a full time job, these players deserve to be paid. The Ncaa and colleges are taking advantage of these young players. They work day end and night out trying to work hard for these schools. In the end they are very poorly compensated. College athletes deserve to be paid that's all there is too it. From trying to help out their families to a working a full time job practicing. These players work hard and deserve to be compensated. These players lose cass time and sometimes go hungry which is terrible when they work extremely hard. This will hopefully be implemented into the Ncaa one day and these players will get what they rightfully deserve.

Works cited

1. Edelman, Marc. "21 Reasons Why Student-Athletes Are Employees And Should Be Allowed To Unionize." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 06 Jan. 2015. Web. 07 May 2018.
2. Jabbar, Kareem Abdul. "Why College Athletes Should Be Paid." The Washington Post. WP Company, 05 Mar. 2016. Web. 07 May 2018.
3. Wilbon, Michael. "College Athletes Deserve to Be Paid." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 18 July 2011. Web. 07 May 2018.
4. Mama, Raman. "Viewpoint: College Athletes Should Be Paid." USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 24 Dec. 2016. Web. 07 May 2018.
5. Hartnett, Tyson. "Why College Athletes Should Be Paid." HuffPost. HuffPost, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 07 May 2018.

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