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Jake Warren Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English (1102) The Compensation of student athletes For decades, the sports world has recognized the abrupt distinction between college and professional athletes. Many college athletes, often referred to as amateurs, are just within reach of professional sportsmanship (Berri). Because of the talent that college athletes exhibit during their amateur, years, the once clear division between college and professional sports has become more vague than ever before. Should college athletes be treated like professionals? If so, what does this entail? The topic of controversy involving this matter explicitly surrounds athlete compensation (Karcher). Should college athletes be paid for their performance? Such a simple yes or no question actually involves several different arguments, each with detailed reasoning. Although both parties (for and opposed) present viable evidence for their case, there is no explicit or immediate urgency to change the policies in place. Thus, the policies for athlete compensation of college students should remain as is. Consider the average college athlete. Many athletes receive scholarships from their institutions to obtain a free education (Berri). As compared to the average college attendee, this puts collegiate athletes at an advantage, right? Some argue otherwise. Many have stated that scholarships do not cover the full extent expenses and hardships incurred by athletes (Boyd). A significant amount of current college athletes come from low-income families that, without financial assistance through scholarships, could not afford to pay for college out of pocket. Although many athletes depend on their athletic scholarships to pay for school tuition, many

Warren 2 students receiving academic scholarships are in similar situations (Crudele). Being in college is a financial burden whether you are an athlete or not. The question remains: Is a free education a sufficient exchange for time on the playing field? Other sources argue that student athletes inconveniently dedicate lots of time outside of the classroom to college athletics (Berri). In some instances, practices and games interfere with the athletes classroom presence (Levine). While this is true, it is also the same for non-athlete students. While an athletes extra curricular activity primarily consists of the sport in which they are playing, this is also an outlet they have chosen. Many college athletes perform in hopes of pursuing professional athletic careers (Wolverton). For other non-athletic students, extracurricular activities during college years take the form of clubs, internships, jobs and other entities related to a future profession. To recognize the hardships of the student athlete without acknowledging the strains placed on all college students is to deny significant information. It is hard to be a college student in general, thats why people do it. Attending college is a way of obtaining credibility, no matter how you spend your time in and outside of the classroom (Boyd). This period in where you make your most crucial time investments (Levine). Many graduates recall feeling overwhelmingly strained during these years, many of which never participated in a sport (Boyd). So what exactly is the difference between a student athlete and a regular student? Last year during college basketball play-offs, a highly ranked college athlete by the name of Kevin Ware suffered a severe leg injury that could have ended his athletic career (Karcher). Following this incident, those arguing for athlete compensation prevailed with an uproar of arguments. What if a collegiate injury prevents a future professional career? While a premature injury is unfavorable to a flourishing athletic career, it is also a consideration and risk to be taken in order to become a professional athlete. As stated previously, student athletes chose the

Warren 3 extracurricular outlet at which they wish to invest their time (Wolverton). Any decision involves some sort of risk. In the case of many athletes, injury is a known risk. However, compensation in the EVENT of a POSSIBLE injury is not the responsibility of the educational institution, nor is it the responsibility of the collegiate athletic association. It is the responsibility of the athlete to assess these risks prior to participating. Many academic and athletic advisors strongly encourage athletes to pick a major in a field of interest in the event such misfortunes were to occur (Boyd). Average, non-athlete students run the same risk when choosing how to invest their time as well. Following graduation, all students are competing on a world scale with students for the same limited number of jobs. It does not pay to simply go to college anymore (Levine). The choices made during ones collegiate career are imperative for ones future. As the saying goes, dont put all of your eggs in one basket. One of the final legs on the now collapsing athlete compensation argument is that there is too much money in college sports to deny the athletes of some form of compensation (Green). Its fairly easy to crunch numbers and fix data to support an argument. Those in favor of collegiate payrolls are quick to total annual revenue from sports networks, average totals from college athletics revenue, and point out sales reports for likenesses of college athletes in video games (Berri). Even if all of these numbers were totaled up, it would take 42 million dollars to just give each college athlete that is recognized by the NCAA an one hundred dollar bill (Wolverton). Not including the funds it would take to organize a program to do so. Paying college athletes is not a simple solution, as many would like to make it out to be. If this issue were to be addressed, it would take thorough investigation, lots of money and lots of time. Not to mention how to pay the number one draft pick versus the third string walk on kicker at no-name college in no-where USA. College compensation is simply not attainable (Boyd).

Warren 4 As a result of the continuation of not compensating college athletes, many students in collegiate sports have gone on strike and several athletic institutions have suffered immensely because of this. Just kidding. This has not, and never will happen. College athletes are not suffering from poor treatment, they are not being sold into servitude, and they are certainly are not forced to put on their jerseys and play for their teams. They do it because with or without the money, they enjoy the game. That is and has always been the concept of amateurism (Boyd). Those who are seeking to pay college athletes are essentially seeking to ruin this ideology. Regardless of whether or not you are paid, you are going to likely do what you love to do. As the saying goes, choose a job you love and youll never work a day in your life. If college athletes and supporters of athlete compensation believe that being a student athlete is relatively close to being a job, then the athlete him or herself should explore other entities. While many companies do benefit from revenue surrounding college athletics, the athletes themselves benefit from the recognition (Wolverton). If one lucky player is fortunate enough to make it onto the top ten highlights, he or she becomes a household name before ever even obtaining a degree (Boyd). This type of reward has no monetary value. As athlete compensation stands today, in its non-existent form, many players play for teams they want to play for, without the influence of monetary nominations. It is of the best interest and maintenance of amateurism that college athletics remain this way. So as to answer the opposing arguments: Yes, colleges and universities do reap the benefits of athlete paraphernalia, game tickets, and sports events. Yes, the likeness of college athletes is used in video games with no award to the student (Crudele). Yes, sports networks make billions upon billions each year (Wolverton). And yes, there is lots of money to be made off college students (Levine). But there is no logical way to distribute this money, nor is there a

Warren 5 need. College athletes are also college students. With that being said, college athletes receive far more benefits than the average student. The argument for athlete compensation undermines the value of a free education (Boyd). While consideration is given mostly to the athletes themselves, the institutions to which they attend are often not considered. Some smaller colleges scrape pennies to afford their athletic programs (Boyd). To add athlete compensation to the mix would be detrimental to these institutions. March madness would not be March madness if the top 10 universities could essentially BUY all of the good athletes (Green). Alumnae programs would be overflowing with generous donations trying to get the best players for their Alma matter. This would ruin the competitiveness of college sports and almost guarantee the demise of athletic programs at some colleges and universities (Boyd). If the line between amateur sports and professionals had never been drawn, there would be arguments for writing checks to peewee and pop-warner players. Since the NCAAs existence in the early 1920s, its purpose was to defend the rights of college institutions and the athletes that attend them (Berri). Its purpose today is still to do so. While many may not understand the significance behind the first implementations of the rules of this organization, its true purpose is to prevent exploitation of student athletes (Green). However, the recent controversy has exploited the college athlete to its fullest extent. Athletes are not being used for free, nor have they ever been (Boyd). This suggestion and reasoning behind it, is more than shallow in form, and easily translucent with minimal analysis. Instead of considering college athletes as athletes first, consider them as the students they had to be to get where they are as players. They are college students, who are subject to the rigorous challenges all students face (Green). Despite the venues in which the athletes choose to take that differ from the typical

Warren 6 student, athletics is just another form of involvement available during a college career. It should remain as such, nothing more or less. While athlete compensation may sound like a good idea, it simply is not.

Warren 7 Works Cited: Berri, David., ed. "How About a Free Market for College Athletes?" The Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 22 Mar. 2013. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. Boyd, Jordan. "NCAA Servitude Must End." The Pine Log Online. Stephen F. Austin University, 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. Crudele, John. "Hoop-Dream: Pay the Student Athletes." New York Post. New York Post, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. Green, Jon. "Pay College Athlete's, and Stop Pretending 'It's Just for Fun.'" America Blog. AmericaBlog, 2 Apr. 2013. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. Karcher, Richard T. "Broadcasting Rights, Unjust Enrichment, and the Student Athlete." Cardozo Law Review 34.1 (2012): 107-72. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. Levine, Ryan. "Brew: Why College Athletes Should Not Be Paid." The University Daily Kansan. Kansas University Newspaper, 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. Wolverton, Brad. "Spending Plenty so Athletes Can Make the Grade." Chronicle of Higher Education 55.2 (2008): n. pag. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.