Crossfire: Should College Athletes Get Paid?

Photo Credit: Continental Studios

YES

By FAIEZENE ZAMAN

Sports are one of the few things that transcend socioeconomic status and bring people from all over the world together. A countless number of kids dream of playing in college and making it to the pros one day. However, these dreams can translate into billions of dollars for universities and broadcasters that those athletes will never see.

In 2016, CBS and Turner Broadcasting extended their contact with The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 basketball tournament for eight years and $8.8 billion. That placed the value of March Madness at more than $1 billion per year for the first time in history.

Student athletes are the ones who are doing all the work and who fans are paying to see. The NCAA also profits off video games with players’ likenesses but won’t share any of the money. 

Meanwhile, coaches and other staff are making impressive salaries. USA Today reported that Dabo Swinney, head football coach at Clemson University is making a whopping $9,315,600 for 2019.

Paying college athletes for their participation in sports eliminates the need for them to find outside employment to support themselves. Many scholarships may offer tuition, room and board coverage in return for participating in a sport, but not every student athlete qualifies for a scholarship. And while the NCAA states that 90% of game revenues go into services, programs, medical care, scholarships, travel support, and other benefits, student athletes still receive zero direct financial compensation for their participation.

Paying all athletes would allow them to focus on academics and athletics without stressing about making ends meet. Additionally, learning how to handle money will give college players a significant lesson that they can use in their lives.

Athletes risk their bodies the same as pro players do. There are many college players who suffer major injuries that prematurely end their careers. Hurting your knee might leave you limping for the rest of your life. Suffering concussions can cause dementia and depression. And if college players are injured and unable to play, they could lose their scholarships.  

These athletes put their minds, time, and bodies into every training session and game. They deserve to be paid for the risks they take and the time they put in.

NO

By NICHOLAS MORGAN

According to the NCAA, paying players would have “staggering and destructive implications” for college sports and “maintaining amateurism” the organization says on its website “is crucial to preserving an academic environment in which acquiring a quality education is the first priority.” 

 Fewer than 2% of college athletes make it to the pros (NCAA.org). If athletes began to prioritize athletics even more over education (which is likely if they are paid), 98% of them will leave college with an inadequate education and in a terrible position to get a good job. 

Furthermore, if college athletes were paid, it would put a financial burden on everyone else. Taxpayers would have to pay more to help public colleges, and that would put a strain on everyone. Private school tuition would also rise because the amount of money schools are getting from college sports would decrease and they would need other sources of revenue. Even fewer people would be able to afford college under this system, leading to disastrous effects for our economy. 

Another problem would be that if students receive a salary, they will technically become employees, which in many states would give them the right to unionize. This will undoubtedly cause conflict between schools and athletes. Athletes would try to negotiate things like hours and compensation, since they hold leverage over the school due to the amount of money their program is making. 

Gabriella Baez, who works as an academic advisor for the College of Westchester, and who primarily works with their Division 1 men’s basketball team, doesn’t believe the current system in which college athletes are compensated is flawed. According to Baez, her students got their tuition paid in full as well as extra money for costs they may have at their dorms.

As with all careers, the pay day comes when you go pro. College should be a time for other priorities.