To be successful in college, dedication and self-discipline are needed. Each hour is calculated and planned to ensure assignments are completed and turned in on time. Additionally, time is scheduled accordingly to study.
Student athletes basically work a full-time job with training and participating in official college sporting games. It takes further commitment to physically improve one’s capabilities. Practicing and working out in the gym is required during and outside of school hours.
The average student doesn’t put in the same amount of effort as student athletes put in.
Student athletes train their minds and bodies like this on a daily basis, without pay.
They deserve to be paid for contributing to a college’s legacy.
While coaches get hefty paychecks for training athletes, the students who experience the emotional and physical turmoil from playing games receive none.
Considering student athletes are amateurs, it’s not expected that they would be paid millions like the professionals. However, they do deserve to be paid more than zero.
Although students may get rewarded with scholarships and financial aid, that money is directly used to either pay enrollment fees or books. With the added responsibilities of school and games, who has the time to find a job? Athletes shouldn’t have to go job hunting simply to afford luxuries such as dining out.
The prestige of a college increases when teams win games. Victories allow current students, alumni and staff to bask in the glory of their institution. Without the input of college sports, mostly contributed by these players, college experiences would be completely different.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit that oversees more than 460,000 student athletes. They also create championship games to generate more public interest in college sports.
The organization affirms benefits to its qualifying student members such as partial financial assistance in housing, insurance on “catastrophic injuries while playing or practicing their sport” and connections to careers.
This is the company’s method of compensating its student members instead of paying them money that can be used freely.
The NCAA does have money to pay students fairly. ESPN reports that they earned $1.06 billion in revenue during 2016 and 2017. However, they choose not to pay students.
In a 2017 NCAA Goals and Score study, Division I athletes stated to have spent an average of 37.3 hours per week working on academics and 35.4 hours per week participating in athletic-related activities.
These hours accumulate to two full-time jobs. While they could be getting income from the amount of hours this adds up to, players have to prioritize either academics or sports instead.
People would most likely complain if they were putting in effort or doing overtime without getting rewarded.
Athletes should be regarded in the same way. It’s time the college starts paying them.
