Should college athletes be paid?

“We pretend,” he says, “that it’s feasible to recruit high school graduates with minimal academic qualifications, give them a full-time job as a football or basketball player at a Division I NCAA school, and somehow have them get up to college-level reading and writing skills at the same time that they’re enrolled in college-level classes.” Willingham’s experience, Southall adds, shows how “we’re all kidding ourselves.” What’s more, in response to escalating demands that undergraduate athletes deserve pay for their services, the NCAA argues that a scholarship and degree are sufficient compensation. The NCAA position crumbles, however, if the parchment represents little or no real education.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-27/in-fake-classes-scandal-unc-fails-its-athletes-whistle-blower

And don't pretend that something along these lines isn't happening at more than 50 percent of Division I institutions of higher learning.

 

No, they should not. That scholarship should be more than enough payment. I don't care if they're not there for the education, then go find a different angle to life. Thousands of student athletes prove every year you can be successful in the classroom AND on the field/court/ice. 99 per cent of college football players will never play a down of pro ball, so stay the full four years, make it worthwhile and get your education. I don't care if you don't have money to go out and buy fancy clothes or take your girl out every weekend. It's called college life. I lived on Kraft Dinner and couldn't afford to do shit when I was in college. And I didn't have the luxury of being looked at as a god on campus. You think those going after law, medical, or higher science degrees have time or money to live it up on a nightly basis? fuck no. True, those other degrees may not bring in the type of capital that football and basketball does to the college, but then they don't cost the college as much either and in many cases actually bring the institution more tangible prestige. You sign up, you know the deal. If you don't like it find something else to do.

But then I also fully believe there should be a different route for some of these sports, I believe a junior system (like hockey in Canada) should be developed where players who don't want to go to school can go play football, earn a stipend and even have time to get a job in their down time, and still eventually have a path to pro ball, if that's what they want to do.

 

Can't wait to hear how this gets accomplished. Where's the formula to determine the value of the third-string tackle whose primary contribution in a given season is that he's on the scout team, making the starters look good in practice.

Put me in the camp to blow the whole thing up and start over.

 

College basketball coach "X" is going to make eleventy million dollars this year. College basketball player "Y" on Coach X's team reaches the end of his eligibility, undrafted, with either no degree or a worthless degree after putting in four seasons of hard work on the court and attending maybe 10 percent of his classes during four spring semesters. He reaches the end of his eligibility, through little fault of his own, with nothing. That's not exploitation?

 

This is really the best idea. College is not for everyone.

 

It's easy, don't restrict what they can make off their own name.

 

Besides getting paid do they still get a scholarship also ?

If both it could get quite expensive when you figure annual
tuition cost at $50,000

 

It's the college's fault he either didn't go to class or took basket weaving 101?

 

The fact that there is an actual market for these athletes' services, whether it be from boosters or car dealers or agents, means all of the above statements and any like them are ignorant at best and flat-out lies at worst. If someone wants to pay you $50,000 or $100,000 above the scholarship cost for a completely legal activity, then it is impossible for anyone to say there is no market for said activity.

 

The problem with that is the gigantic loophole it opens up to virtually limitless disguised payments. What's to prevent a booster from putting the offensive lineman on salary and claiming he was just buying his signature or jersey?

 

Beef, what your value to the University and their value is apples and oranges.

Were you allowed to work, allowed to make money off your own name? Why do you care if they make money?