College Players Should be Paid

[ONUV]

The disparity between what the scholarships are worth and the amount of money that these student athletes bring to their universities is appalling. These students are taking the time that most students work part time at near minimum wage and laying it all on the line for their university varsity team. Everyone agrees that most universities have been less than stellar at graduating high profile student athletes. Why not tie the two together to achieve a common goal?

http://www.fanblogs.com/ncaa/007012.php

[doingthisinsteadofwork]

no they're getting a great education.

[gbpackers0065]

What about the Valedictorian who gos on to be rich and donates back to the school? Should he be payed?

[sweetness34]

Hmmm, this is tempting. Ok I give in: (although these will be brief and blunt)

1) Already have full ride schollies (free education)

2) Trickle down effect to High School

3) Greed

4) Professionalizing College Sports

5) Damaging a great tradition of sporting

6) Paying all those who bring in money for the University

Off the top of my head those are my points against paying college athletes, and if you want me to expand on them I will but their pretty self explanatory.

I don't mind monthly stipends so they can get their necessities but I am strongly opposed to paying college athletes, and I have first hand experience on this topic because I play college sports.

[sweetness34]

What about the Valedictorian who gos on to be rich and donates back to the school? Should he be payed?

What about the first chair violin player who works hard at her hobby/activity? He/She brings in money for the university through concerts. If you pay athletes you have to start paying drama members, band members, orchestra members, etc...It's not fair if you don't.

[princefielder28]

They are getting paid: it's called a FREE education

[Ravens1991]

I go back and forth on this topic. Yea they get a ton of $ for FREE education, that amount up to the 5 digit sums for all the years. But say a player grew up in poverty and his parents cant afford to send him $ to buy tooth paste and things like that. I think there should be a special program that a athlete w/ a scholarship can apply for "needs money" Which they get the money to buy toothpaste and so on. But the kids who grew up in a gated community and there parents have 6 BMWs dont get that $.

[gbpackers0065]

What about the first chair violin player who works hard at her hobby/activity? He/She brings in money for the university through concerts. If you pay athletes you have to start paying drama members, band members, orchestra members, etc...It's not fair if you don't.

Exactly, why should only athletes get paid when there are students who work just as hard (if not harder) than the athlete does.

[sweetness34]

I go back and forth on this topic. Yea they get a ton of $ for FREE education, that amount up to the 5 digit sums for all the years. But say a player grew up in poverty and his parents cant afford to send him $ to buy tooth paste and things like that. I think there should be a special program that a athlete w/ a scholarship can apply for "needs money" Which they get the money to buy toothpaste and so on. But the kids who grew up in a gated community and there parents have 6 BMWs dont get that $.

And they do get stipends for things they need, but I think they should raise it a bit from where it is. I just don't like the salary idea at all.

[ONUV]

you think the degrees they're getting are really "great" educations? the coaches want them to do as little as possible in the classroom.

[Komp]

they shouldn't be paid....

you think the degrees they're getting are really "great" educations? the coaches want them to do as little as possible in the classroom.

The VAST majority of college athletes will never play professional sports. If I were them I would be spending a lot of time studying/in the classroom. Between the free education/room/board and the connections they make with alumni/other important people from being on the team the universities give student athletes all the tools to succeed in the real world...

[gbpackers0065]

you think the degrees they're getting are really "great" educations? the coaches want them to do as little as possible in the classroom.

your an idiot there are plenty of division I, II , and III athletes who value school over athletics

[Shane P. Hallam]

The fact is, they get a lot of extra money. As I've said before, this past summer I was an RA for some of the incoming freshman football players. They got money for books that was ridiculously high, upwards of $500. It was a flat payment on their BuckID for books, but about $300 more than I've ever spent in a quarter on books, and when the guys take classes like "Hip-Hop Dance," etc, they aren't even using that money. One guy ended up buying shoes with most of his money. So, there are ways they are getting some extra cash for the essentials. They get free food, free room, and past that, many things are doable with this cash.

[MaxV]

Going to college is a priveledge, not a right.

No, they shouldn't be paid.

[someone447]

I go back and forth on this issue too. They bring in a LOT of money to the school, and my roommates would leave for class at 9 am and not get home until 6-7 pm. It is a full time job at a D1 school.

Without a doubt they need to increase the stipend they get.