Should College Athletes Be Paid - Assignment Example

According to Kelly Whiteside (2004), “Athletes see what's in it for everybody else. They see their jersey numbers on the racks of the campus bookstore, but they don't see any share of the profit”. Colleges are taking advantage of the very athletes who make their sports programs successful. This paper will outline why it is only fair that college athletes should be paid.   
Introduction

     Most college athletes, if not all, are paid about 200-250 dollars a month to cover their expenses. This amount is very small when compared to the college student who takes up part-time work. Again many think that college sports are all fun and games. It is not. A college athlete’s day is full of classes, homework, practice, and physical exercises. A college athlete faces the same risk of life and injuries as a player in the NBA or NFL. He plays the same game and has to deal with the same pressures. What with classes and homework he is as busy as a professional. Hence it is only fair college athletes should be paid. Bellamy (2003) rightly says that colleges “treat their players like gladiators, second-class citizens who perform for our enjoyment, while those on the top of the mountain collect all the winnings.”

 College athletes need to be paid

     A good number of college athletes do not come from rich families.  Apart from their scholarships and boarding and lodging, they do not get money to spend. Being a college athlete is very hard and exhausting. One has to focus on studies as well as athletic performance or else the college might get rid of you. Most college athletes end up without a college degree as there is so much pressure to do well.  Many are unable to graduate and this may affect their future. It is difficult to perform in both fields. Hence they need to be paid for their efforts and to secure their future. As Al Woods (2007) says, “In the game of college athletics, the rules are not fair for the college student-athletes! The playing field is not equal. Pay the players!” Also one hears of corruption and players and coaches taking money under the table. One way to stop this corruption is to pay college athletes well. College athletes need to get better medical benefits must be allowed to endorse products and get a share of the profits the universities make from their programs.  According to Allen Sack (2008) athletes “should also be allowed to have agents to help them plan their financial futures”. This will go a long way in promoting talent and getting the best out of every athlete.

Conclusion

In conclusion, one can say that it is time to end the exploitation of college athletes. In today’s world free education is not enough compensation for the hard labor a college athlete puts in. As Rod Gilmore has rightly said, “It’s time to change this antiquated system. It's time to stop using players as cheap labor. It's time to do right by the players”.