Looking for more debate, speech, or essay topics? In Zion Williamsons Injury Has Some Saying He Should Quit Duke, Marc Tracy writes: A freakish injury to Dukes Zion Williamson, college basketballs best and most prominent player, only seconds into a game on Wednesday night has instantaneously renewed a debate about the contradictions of the sports economic foundation, shining a harsh new light on the N.C.A.A.s policy of amateurism and the influence of billion-dollar shoe companies. Since the ruling, college athletes have been cashing in on NIL deals, with a few resulting in seven-figure incomes. believes. We Colleges reap billions from these student athletes sacrifices and success but, in the same breath, block them from earning a single dollar. Similar measures in additional states have passed but are slated to be in effect sometime in the future. College athletics provide big benefits for many schools: they increase their profile, generate millions of dollars in revenue, and have led to one of the most contentious questions in sports should college athletes be paid? Data analyzed from the Department of Labor showed nine out of 10 new jobs were going to employees with college degrees in June 2018. Mark J. Drozdowski, Ed.D., is a senior writer with BestColleges. For example, a student athlete will be compensated for the sale of a jersey featuring their name, or for a sponsorship deal in which they appear wearing a UNC jersey. According to data released by the NCAA, 90% of Division I athletes enrolled in 2013 earned a degree within six years. WebCollege athletes are allowed to compete in the Olympic Games and be financially compensated, such as Joseph Schooling, a University of Texas swimmer, who earned a $740,000 bonus for winning Singapores first gold medal ever at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro player was, too, even before Duke announced that Williamson had sprained his right knee in the fall. WebCollege athletes deserve to be paid because they are the only ones not being paid in the college sports industry. Scholarships are fair financial compensation for college athletes, especially considering the precarious finances of athletic departments. Some argue that if bidding becomes a possibility, then the stronger teams will become even stronger. That adds up to about $400,000 a year. Participating in intercollegiate athletics constitutes a full-time job. Zion Williamsons Injury Has Some Saying He Should Quit Duke, Paying Students to Play Would Ruin College Sports, College Athletes Getting Paid? 2021, the NCAA was composed of [n]early half a million college athletes [who] make up the 19,886 teams that send more than 57,661 participants to compete each year in the NCAAs 90 championships in 24 sports across 3 divisions. [1] [2], The NCAA is seemingly the final authority to decide whether college athletes should be paid to play college sports. In other words, even if Takeaway: College is expensive. This scenario offers too many thorny questions and too few sufficient answers. Players may stay longer To back up the last point, players wouldnt have to leave school early and would still be able to pursue an education while taking care of their family back home. Why or why not? College athletes generate billions of dollars per year for schools, media outlets, and corporate Universities best positioned to pay athletes top dollar would win bidding wars and recruiting battles against institutions with limited budgets. Just 1.6% of college football players will take an NFL field. Additionally, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear a case (National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Shawne Alston, et al.) These scholarships, which aren't guaranteed, are awarded year to year and can be rescinded for numerous reasons, including injuries. However, college athletes, arguably the stars of the show who earn millions year after year for the well-paid NCAA executives, coaches, and staff, were forbidden by the NCAA from not only being paid for their work-, but from seeking other related compensation such as endorsement deals. That is, should Williamson elect to return. They argue that athletes receive sufficient education-related benefits and that universities should not pay athletes. A work-study job could pay several thousand dollars each year, and working at the typical minimum wage $7.25 per hour for 35 hours a week would earn the student a little over $1,000 per month. Respondents were split 50/50 in a June 1, 2021, New York Times survey about whether the NCAA strictly limiting paid compensation is constitutional. Takeaway: Paying student-athletes would reduce NCAAs spending on expensive facilities. Students from these institutions are given full sponsorship from enormous brands. It will be traded for lackadaisical plays and half-ass efforts that we sometime see from pros. 1,217 will be draft picks, but only 791 will be drafted yearly, meaning about 9.9% of college baseball players will go pro, which is the largest likelihood in NCAA sports. WebCollege athletes shouldnt be compensated for playing sports at the collegiate level, but for their advertisement and use of their names in video games and products. I mean the bottom line is, isnt this what they deserve for their labor? And not, of course, from the NCAA. He is the owner of Salarship, a job search engine where less-skilled candidates can find accessible employment opportunities. Would a university have to pay female athletes in aggregate the same amount as their male counterparts? A former columnist for The Chronicle Reece Johnson is the managing editor for news, issues, and trends. While college athletes' payments are a controversial topic, their hard work and health must be fairly compensated no matter what, and a salary seems to be the best way for it. The NCAA is not above the law.. 8, 2020, Steve Goldstein, Nine out of 10 New Jobs Are Going to Those with a College Degree, marketwatch.com, June 5, 2018, Gallup, A Study of NCAA Student-Athletes: Undergraduate Experiences and Post-College Outcomes, gallup.com, 2020, Greta Anderson, Study: College Athletes Have Better Academic, Life Outcomes, insiderhighered.com, June 24, 2020, Griffin Connolly, Wealth distribution is bad except when it comes to college athletes' money, top Republican senator suggests, theindependent.co.uk, Sep. 15, 2020, B. David Ridpath, A Path Forward for Reforming College Sports, jamesgmartin.center, Jan. 15, 2020, Molly Hensley-Clancy, NCAA Vows to Improve Conditions at Womens Basketball Tournament, as Outcry Continues, washingtonpost.com, Mar. All of this begs the question, that if the NCAA did choose to pay college athletes, what would be the advantages or disadvantages of doing so? As always, there are two sides to any argument. Below are a few potential pros and cons of paying college athletes. Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said afterward that Williamson had sustained a knee injury, but that the joint was stable.. A report produced by the NCPA and Drexel University estimated the average annual fair market value of big-time college football and mens basketball players between 2011 and 2015 was $137,357 and $289,031, respectively, and concluded that football players only receive about 17% of their fair market value, while mens basketball players receive approximately 8% of theirs. The only people not receiving a paycheck are the stars of the show: the athletes. If a majority of these college athletes, who are bringing in staggering amounts of money to these schools were white, would this even be a conversation? The main argument against paying college athletes is that this would lead to legal issues threatening collegiate sports integrity. It would eliminate the line between amateur and professional sports. And spare me the theyre being extorted thing. Furthermore, it could also be a significant driving factor for them not to misuse their money. UNC athletes will be able to earn money for NIL marketing including UNC trademarks and logos in groups of three or more athletes. As John Thelin, PhD, Research Professor of History of Higher Education & Public Policy at the University of Kentucky, explained, paying salaries to players will increase [athletic] program expenditures without necessarily increasing revenues [and] a handful of powerful programs will stand to gain in competition for athletic talent simply because they can afford to pay salaries. This is something that has been a growing issue in recent years. For example, in 2009, six ex-University of Toledo players were indicted in a point-shaving scheme, and in 2010, Reggie Bush returned his Heisman Trophy after allegations that he was given hundreds of thousands of dollars from sports agents while he played for USC. At worst, it's chaotic and threatens team morale. According to the NCAA, in 2019, the 65 Power Five schools exceeded revenue by $7 million, while all other Division I colleges had a $23 million deficit between expenses and revenue. Not likely from the school itself. Furthermore, only two major sports (basketball and football) are making significant amounts of money some dont generate any or are purely just expenses. Support their families Players would be able to actually afford a decent meal and possibly send some money back home. Its a multi-billion dollar industry, and third-party businesses outside the educational institutions scope are involved. According to the NCAA, over 150,000 Division I and Division II student-athletes receive $2.9 billion in scholarships each year (Division III schools don't offer athletic scholarships). Here Are Some Pros And Cons. As mentioned before, college athletes can put in upward of 40 hours a week practicing, training, and competingbeing a student-athlete is a challenge when youre devoting full-time hours to athletics. On a side note, this would incentivize athletes to complete their degree, making them more employable after the end of their athletic career. Divisions II and III of the NCAA followed suit and the changes went into effect for all three divisions on July 1, 2021. 23, 2018, Craig Garthwaite, Who Profits from Amateurism? Only about 1% of student-athletes receive a full scholarship.. WebBecause so many athletic departments run at a deficit, it's difficult to make the case that schools should pay regular salaries to athletes, even football players who produce more ", ProCon.org. I feel like a student athlete. [16], In 2021, the National College Players Association (NCPA) Executive Director Ramogi Huma stated, [m]any of these athletes are Black and from low-income homes the NCAA treats them like disposable university property. Consider the elite players in Schools would also have to cut unprofitable sports including gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. Explain your answer(s). No college should be required to pay athletes, and no pay structure needs to be planned. 1, 2021), Dan Murphy and Adam Rittenberg, NCAA Delays Vote to Change College Athlete Compensation Rules, espn.com, Jan. 11, 2021, Sarah Polus, NCAA Tables Name, Image and Likeness Vote after DOJ Warns of Potential Antitrust Violations, thehill.com, Jan. 12, 2021, Adam Liptak, Supreme Court to Rule on N.C.A.A. White People? 2. Maybe as Much as He Loves Playing. NCAA is a non-profit organization. The average athletic scholarship is roughly $18,000. I have gathered the weightiest arguments and an in-depth analysis of their validity. [20]. Not So Much.. - SmartAsset College athletes work hard and make lots of money for their colleges. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. The odds are even lower for womens basketball at 0.6%. As of June 10, 2021, 18 states have passed NIL laws; five more states have passed bills that were awaiting the governors signature to become law; 14 states have introduced NIL bills; and one state has a bill passed by the Senate and awaiting a House vote, according to the Business of College Sports. And that doesn't include income from broadcasting rights and corporate sponsorships. "Paying College Athletes Top 3 Pros and Cons." Promo code: Or is a college scholarship and other non-monetary perks like the opportunity to play in front of cheering fans enough? That's just the institutional side of it. WebCon 2: Not Every Sports Team Brings in the Same Value True: The majority of money generated by the NCAA goes to scholarships for Division I and II athletes evenly. Tuition shortfalls amount to thousands of dollars per year and leave about 85% of players to live below the poverty line. Perhaps the earliest group to examine the quandary was Andrew Carnegies Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, which produced a mammoth study in 1929 of amateur athletes and the profits they generate for their universities. Nathan Brunner is a labor market expert. As Jon Solomon, Editorial Director for the Sports and Society Program at the Aspen Institute explained, The most glaring example occurred when the University of North Carolina was found by outside parties to have organized fake classes that enabled dozens of athletes to gain and maintain their eligibility of the 3,100 students who took the fake classes over 18 years, 47.4 percent were athletes North Carolina avoided NCAA penalties by essentially arguing that the NCAA should stay out of irregularities in college courses. [24] The NCAA polices athletes finances but does not ensure a quality education. Not So Much. These also happen to be the highest revenue-generating sports in college athletics. Our peer review tool allows you to receive feedback and learn the strengths and weaknesses of your essay for free. Sports' considerable time commitment cuts into students' study time. Whats the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom? There are a lot of great reasons why college athletes should be paid, but there are also some compelling reasons why college athletes should not be paidand why not paying athletes is actually good for both the institutions and athletes. Athletes constantly risk injury and therefore deserve proper compensation. Do you think well-established minor-league systems would be attractive to high-school graduates and college athletes less interested in (or ill-prepared for) higher education? Will the All-American point guard get the same amount as the captain of the swim team? [20], The highest paid mens basketball coach was the University of Kentucky head coach, John Calipari, who was paid $8.2 million per year. Of the roughly 1,100 athletic programs governed by the NCAA, only 25 had a net positive revenue in 2019. The NCAA warned that because California schools might have an unfair recruiting advantage over schools in other states, institutions would be banned from championship competition. He holds a master's degree from Columbia University and a 2023 BestColleges.com, a Red Ventures Company, The Public Ivies, Little Ivies, and Other Ivy League Equivalents, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, long-term effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, proportionate opportunities for scholarships, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. College athletes are on the verge of being able to make money off their fame as the rules that have governed college sports for more than a century are upended. A 2011 study published by the National College Players Association (NCPA) found that an overwhelming number of students on full athletics scholarships live below the federal poverty line85% of athletes who live on campus and 86% athletes who live off-campus. Athletes may never go to class Lets face it, if they give these kids money, theyll never have any incentive to go to class. Consider the pro position of the National College Players Association that paying college athletes is a civil rights issue. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 For example, will the star quarterback receive the same amount as the backup catcher on the softball team? 3. But some are. ], ProCon.org, "Paying College Athletes Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Paying College Athletes Top 3 Pros and Cons. While this is something admirable, What possible difficulties or downsides might there be in providing monetary compensation to players? Huma cited the example of a top football player who found himself with a more serious injury a few years ago; that player elected to end his college career prematurely, to limit the risk to his professional payday. Tennis players may earn up to $10,000 in prize money yearly while playing college tennis and college football players may earn up to $550 in bowl gifts. All told, only about 1% of student-athletes receive a full scholarship. Scores of college athletes are being used to generate money for NCAA sports in a pandemic without the NCAA enforcing any COVID standards. [17], The NCAA reported over $1.06 billion in revenue in 2017 (the most recent available numbers). The Pros And Cons Of Paying College Athletes However, the decision whether to provide compensation to students or not is one that is difficult to resolve. 20, 2020, Christian Dennie, Governor of Nebraska Signs Name, Image, and Likeness Bill into Law, bgsfirm.com, Aug. 28, 2020, Gregg E. Clifton, UPDATE: Michigan Joins Growing Number of States Granting Name, Image, Likeness Rights to Collegiate Student-Athletes, natlawreview.com, Jan. 1, 2021, Suzette Parmley, Murphy Signs Bill Paying NJ College Athletes and Allowing Them to Hire Attorneys/Agents, law.com, Sep. 14, 2020, Student Player, studentplayer.com (accessed on Mar. Title IX stipulates that colleges must provide equal opportunities for male and female athletes. Even though athletes are compensated with scholarships, it is often not sufficient to graduate debt-free from college. Might some form of financial compensation make this compromise easier to take? The Flutie Effect on college admissions named for Doug Flutie, the Boston College quarterback who put his institution on the map in 1984 with his famous Hail Mary pass against the University of Miami and his Heisman-winning season can be dramatic. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. Other Division I schools had an almost $23 million collective difference between revenue and expenses. [25] [26], The study found that [t]he player-level analysis reveals that the existing limits on player compensation effectively transfers resources away from students who are more likely to be black and more likely to come from poor neighborhoods towards students who are more likely to be white and come from higher-income neighborhoods. 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