With the resignation of Thee Ohio State University’s Jim Tressel the conversation concerning paying student-athletes has been re-ignited. Whether you are for or against athletes being paid there are valid points to both sides of the argument. Some believe that the athletes attract the spectators and ultimately bring in money to the universities and therefore should be compensated. Others argue that they should remain unpaid student-athletes because they are not professionals and are rewarded with scholarships.
For the athletes I feel their pain. One argument is that the athletes have families who are back at home struggling financially so they need the extra money. Think about it they are directly responsible for the sports related revenue received by the universities, yet they receive no monetary rewards. So it’s almost like working for free. They show up and put countless hours into practice and training so that they can contribute to their team’s success which creates and sustains their fan base. The universities fan base is undoubtedly influenced by the performance of these un-paid athletes. And for the university having a strong fan base translates into real dollars…a whole heck of a lot of them. I mean those of us who work 9-5 aren’t expected to show up to work and be all that we can be for no pay. Imagine getting a job and working in a department that makes millions in revenue off of your work, but they only offer you benefits and no salary. Let’s say they tell you where you can live give you a living allowance, some healthcare, and pay for daycare. Would this be acceptable?
Now there are also those who have justifiably disputed every argument mentioned above and some. One of the main arguments is that if you pay those who participate in the more popular sports such as football and basketball then it’s only fair that those who participate in tennis, swimming, and all the other less popular sports which don’t generate as much money be paid as well. Another opposing point is that the athletes often times are receiving scholarships which may cover some or all of their entire cost of tuition, room and board. This keeps their student loans lower than those students who aren't athletes so they are benefiting financially in the long run as well. So it’s not fair that they get additional money. Another way to look at it is that they are receiving an education which is invaluable in exchange for what some like to call “dribbling a ball”.
I think the argument that a lot of these students families are back home struggling is a good reason to pay the athletes is the weakest one I’ve heard. Athletes are not the only students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. There are several students who have academic scholarships who still struggle to make ends meet both at school and in their family life. But the universities don't give them extra money. It’s my opinion that if they do decide to compensate the popular sports it is only fair that they pay the other student-athletes as well. However the pay should not be equal for all student athletes, instead it should be dependent on how much money that particular sport brings into the schools. Now this can get tricky because not all athletes are created equal so how can a fair amount be offered to students on an individual basis. It’s difficult to determine what percent of the total revenue each athlete is responsible for. It’s not fair that the benchwarmers get the same pay as the starters. It’s a thought…I think it’s just way to tricky a deal to try to work out. Another issue I have with this whole debate is that once again in America we pay more attention to our athletes than we do to our scholars. Now don’t get me wrong I think they both have their place in society. Although the sciences may not bring in as much money as sports the impact that science can have is much more significant. But we’re not discussing whether or not student who conducted valuable research for free should be compensated. My point is that this is a debate that may never be settled because both sides present a valid case. Please share your thoughts on this topic thanks.
5 comments:
Basketball and Football they should get their sports scholarships removed and just get paid. Because the university is trying to make money off of them. Small sports scholarships are ok because there not as popular.
The problem with athletes is that the amount of hours put into practice, meetings, games, and other required events does not equal to the amount that those scholarships are worth. It's actually like making less than minimum wage. And athletes are held to an entirely different and higher standard than any other student on campus. Athletes can't sell their own belongings just to get some extra cash if they were given to them. They can't accept any "benefits" from anyone that any other student can. With all these restrictions, why not pay them a little extra. They do more than any other student on campus.
Student Athletes are held to different standards but still shouldn't be paid. Just as athletes are held to different standards, students whom are on academic scholarships are held to different standards as well. Academic scholars are accountable for achieving a certain G.P.A in order to continue receiving their scholarship. Athletes should not be paid simply because there are too many uncontrollable variables involved. Do athletes sacrifice more than an average student, YES. Athlete's at Universities are already being paid for their talents and that's why they receive an athletic scholarship. Inside this scholarship the students housing, books, and tuition are all covered. College is a transitional period in everyone life whom attend.
If student athletes are paid, then they shouldn't receive an athletic scholarship nor should they have to be enrolled since its a "job". The only possible solution that could be quite reasonable would be for student athletes to control their funds. Meaning whatever their scholarship is worth at the University, that's how much the student should be given. Whatever they do with the money is on them then athletes can deal with the experiences normal students deal with such as buying books and selling them back for 1/4 of the price.
Anonymous user my question is what about the other sports? How do you keep things fair? Erikk what "benefits" are you speaking of? What about the intangible benefits that athletes may sometimes get. I.e. not having to work as hard academically and receiving passing grades they may not have earned. Not every athlete, but some. That's a hell of a benefit in my opinion. And Mike you make excellent points college is definitely a transition aka broke period for everyone and at the end of the day you'll get through it if you stay focused on why you're really there.
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