The conversation surrounding the issue of whether to pay college athletes has taken time. In recent years, soaring revenues from these athletes have intensified drawing the attention of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). Arguments claim that these college athletes are indeed students and athletics is merely part of their extracurricular. However, these critics blame the idea of paying college athletes on the basis that such action would not help college sports but would prove a logistical nightmare hurting the sports culture in colleges. Contrary, supporting the idea argues that these students participate and work tirelessly in athletic activities deserving payment. Additionally, their participation in sports generates a lump sum of revenue for the colleges and universities (Meyer 247). However, any logistical complications associated with paying college athletes are not problems of the players but of the NCAA. The debate on this issue is complex generally and attracts various cons and pros.
Firstly, paying college athletes makes student-athletes healthier. This eliminates the urge for the students to seek employment elsewhere for their support. On many occasions, when students participate in sports under scholarships, they may be offered board coverage, room, and tuition for their participation. The students who miss out on scholarships have their images used for zero compensation and to generate revenue for the NCCA as well (Zema 204). When these athletes are paid, their focus will be on athletics and academics and the need for them to get outside employment to feed themselves will fade. Secondly, paying student-athletes provides relief for families. As per the current payment rules, families are expected to provide direct support for their athlete students. Their families are taxed with the responsibility of paying for them to be in college. However, students are denied the idea of autographing items to raise revenue, and few benefits from student loans. Once the college athletes are paid, their families get relieved of the burden of catering for fees and perhaps investing in other family projects.
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Thirdly, the provision of another incentive to play comes about by paying off the college athletes. Ideally, most of the students playing in colleges never become professional athletes. However, most professionals are realized with chosen fields of study among the student-athletes. Paying the athletes will enable the students to get involved in athletics. The offered stipend will cater to their costs outside scholarship coverage (Kilburg 22). Saving will also be encouraged and the students who don’t make going pro may give up sports and venture into other investments with the saved revenue. Another advantage of paying college athletes is that tuition rates would be lowered in colleges. Competition in colleges will increase in improving facilities and programs. Increased enrolments will be realized and fewer costs will be involved to run the systems.
On the side of cons, paying student-athletes will eliminate the line between professional and amateur sports. According to the NCCA, the idea of paying college athletes would eliminate the separation of professional sports from amateurism. Paying the student-athletes would weaken the links between sports played and education offered in the colleges. When college athletes are paid while schooling, those who do not graduate to pro are likely to suffer as they lack many opportunities to venture in. In addition, paying college athletes would prioritize athleticism over education. Paying the athletes gives them an opportunity to shift personal priorities from academics to sports life. They would strive more to maintain their positions in athletics to earn more money and benefit their teams rather than the center with academics or balance the two. Ideally, athletes would prefer choosing programs that would pay as compared to programs that offer empty learning.
Also, paying college athletes creates opportunities to unionize among students. The paid athletes would be classified as employees and this will give them the right to unionize in different states creating conflicts between schools and the student body. In such related conflicts, minors may be involved allowing parents to be incorporated. However, new administration levels may be involved in such contract negotiations increasing costs (Edelman 1137). Furthermore, paying the athletes would burden taxpayers. In reality, revenues generated in sports would be used to pay the college athletes and this will push for monetary support from taxpayers with public institutions. As for private institutions, tuition rates would be increased to meet the salary payments of the athletes. In the long run, these burdens could discourage some students from enrolling in academics creating low-skilled manpower in a country.
In conclusion, little concern has been shown by the NCAA in relation to paying for college athletics. However, in recent years, the support to have the athletes paid has grown greatly. Meanwhile, college athletics and sports will remain a billion-dollar activity and some athletes will continue to exercise their passions in this industry. Other athletes will participate in sports as a pathway to pros whether compensated or actualizing their dreams in pain!
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