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The reality is that college sports programs are businesses that stand to make a large amount of money for their respective schools. The student-athletes who participate in these programs are part of the reason why these schools stand to make such handsome profits: through ticket sales, endorsement deals, broadcasting deals, and jersey sales (although player names cannot be represented on jerseys).
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The main problem with paying student-athletes is that it is not the college's primary function. The primary function of academic institutions is to educate, and not to hire student-athletes. Moreover, colleges already provide student-athletes with an invaluable benefit in the form of a college degree.
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Athletes play under a decades-old system in which scholarships pay for tuition and room and board but fall short of covering the full cost of attending school. In return, players are expected to maintain a rigorous training and playing schedule while keeping up their studies.
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In a recent ruling, college athletes are considered school employees and thus have the right to unionize, along with class-action lawsuits demanding more compensation and better treatment for college athletes, has amplified debate over whether they should be paid. Supporters of the system say the education and training athletes receive are adequate compensation; critics say college athletes are being exploited.
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Observers also differ over whether colleges could afford salaries for players, and whether schools should pay more attention to athletes’ academic experience.
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College athletes can use money as a motivator to increase competitiveness. Athletes could focus more on their game to earn higher rewards. They could use the extra energy and ambition and throw it straight into their game to become a bigger, better competitors which would in turn make the NCAA more money.
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The obvious starting point for changing the system is to pay athletes in the revenue-producing sports fair compensation for the revenues they generate. Athletes should receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, insurance coverage, and paid trips home during holidays and for family emergencies.
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But, the athletes may receive only educational benefits like their room, board, tuition, fees, and books; cannot sign with an agent and retain eligibility; cannot do commercials; cannot receive meals, clothing, transportation, or other gifts by individuals other than family members.
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Athletes can make money for others, but not for themselves. Their coaches have agents, but the athletes cannot. Athletes are forbidden to engage in advertising, but their coaches are permitted to endorse products for generous compensation. This, in return, does not create a competitive scene for many players of the game.
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Many college athletes train hard for most of their career with the eventual goal of becoming a full time professional athlete. The main goal of almost any serious athlete is to be drafted at the end of their college career and find themselves in a salaried position on a national team so that they can begin getting paid for their dream.
Unfortunately, many college athletes don’t get drafted by the NFL, the NBA or the MLB straight out of college.
