The issue of whether student-athletes should be paid in addition to receiving scholarships has been a persistent debate issue in the United States for a long time. Some people have argued that these students should receive payment just like other athletes. Conversely, others have argued that the scholarships are just enough for them, thus should not be paid.
This essay will provide an analysis of the reasons on whether student-athletes should be paid or not. It is correct to state that being a student- athlete is liking having a full-time job. This is because they have to balance between weight rooms, classes, being in the field and having film sessions. College athletics are extracurricular activities. However, the schedules that are outlined by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) tournaments often require extended periods where the athletes normally miss.
These students miss classes as well as being absent for nationally televised games that make lots of cash and receive millions of viewers, according to Marc Edelman in his article “21 Reasons Why Student-Athletes Are Employees and Should Be Allowed to Unionize.” (Cosh & Suzanne et al 123). Due to the fact that student-athletes normally lead to the accrual of revenue for their teams, colleges or universities, specifically in the championship games, those who debate in favor of paying the student-athletes argue that they should at least receive small portions of the profits that are earned from their participation
The pay could vary since, just as the universities that have more teams that are successful tend to receive more money and recognition as opposed to those that are less successful. Both the college football programs and the basketball programs usually earn so much than any athletic program. Thus such an athlete’s can also earn more. This cannot be considered as fair pay but most supporters of paying college-students argue that team and consumer popularity normally determine what is fair and what is not fair. Such sports also support sports that are less popular that do not be in lots of cash on their own. The profits that are college athletics accrue to their institutions do not go to academics. Conversely, they normally go to individuals such as the directors to athletics, coaches and school administrators.
These students do not require to get huge pays that their coaches earn, they normally wish to get just a reasonable amount that are directly proportional to the amount that the program earns. (Rab & Sara 14). Scholarships normally cover many expenses of student-athletes ‘such as accommodation, and books, but some few extra dollars that they could earn annually could greatly compensate the time that they lack to earn cash from part-time jobs. Additionally, it is quite significant to understand that college student-athletes are just not part of their schools’ sports teams, but they are part and parcel of colleges or universities’ advertising teams. For instance, “the “Flutie effect” is used to describe a surge in college admission following big sports wins.
It’s named for Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie; he won the Heisman Trophy in 1984, and the College’s admissions rose significantly in subsequent years.” (Rab & Sara 15). Concisely, colleges and universities should use their athletic successes in promoting and enticing both their educational institutions and applicants. It is only fair that these students are paid for the benefits that they provide their schools with. On the other hand, individuals who oppose student-athletes from being paid have various arguments: In the year 2013 John Dennis an expert argued that am approximate of sixty-nine percent of the public is opposed to paying student-athletes (Sanderson &Allen et al 119).
Such individuals argue that if scholarships were taken out of the deal, and only pays were offered to the college-students them it would be fair and affordable for the universities and colleges, but this is quite wrong if the student-athletes were given the salaries, then they would have to pay taxes and depending on the student-athletes’ incomes, those taxes could be quite high and this would reduce what they earn until they are unable to cover their tuition expenses. Furthermore, those individuals who oppose paying student-athletes say it would change the nature of these students’ instance; these college student-athletes are given rare opportunities. It is quite difficult to earn positions on college teams.
Though a dream for many, only about seven percent of high school athletes move onto bigger stages. If salaries were involved, the athletes would be incentivized to commit to colleges or universities that have the highest offers. They would transfer school after school in search of schools that have higher offers, and before people realize its college and university sports could have turned into a business and this business could have adverse effects om other college programs(Houle &James 25).This is because the finances used to pay the student-athletes has to come from somewhere, this means that it could lead to the cutting of some famous college programs. This could them deprive other students who do not participate in sports the chance of gaining education at the universities and colleges of their dreams. Next year, they possibly may transfer to another school with a higher offer as some of their desired programs will no longer be offered.
Conclusively, despite the fact that most athletes play at levels that are advanced, they still don’t participate in professioal levels thus, they should not be paid as this is not their job but only an extra-cirricular activity im which they take part im while still pursuing their academics. The student-athletes go to educational facilities to acquire education and knowledge just like other children but are lucky enough since they get to study with reduced costs due to the scholarship programs that they are offered. If these students were givem pay for playimg them this would chamge their motives, dreams, and goals as students. They are still students and this is a privilege where they get to study and still pursue their dreams and talents of playing sports therefore, studemt-athletes should not be paid for that!!
Works Cited
- Cosh, Suzanne, and Phillip J. Tully. ‘Stressors, coping, and support mechanisms for student athletes combining elite sport and tertiary education: Implications for practice.’ The Sport Psychologist 29.2 (2015): 120-133.
- Goldrick-Rab, Sara. Paying the price: College costs, financial aid, and the betrayal of the American dream. University of Chicago Press, 2016.
- Houle, James LW, and Annette S. Kluck. ‘An examination of the relationship between athletic identity and career maturity in student-athletes.’ Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology 9.1 (2015): 24-40.
- Sanderson, Allen R., and John J. Siegfried. ‘The case for paying college athletes.’ Journal of Economic Perspectives 29.1 (2015): 115-38.