Should college athletes, of all sports, be paid?

[bellybuttonlint]

Now I'm not talking millions, but a few grand a year couldn't hurt. Yes, they are on scholarship, but at the same time the NCAA is a multi-billion dollar business and have made $ off of the players.

The amount of time practicing is equivalent to a full time job, in which they have little opportunity to get a decent amount of $ by working enough hours as a local job. Obviously basketball and football players get the most exposure and I think it would be unfair if they are the only ones paid. I think anyone who plays sports on scholarships should be given financial incentive...much like people who earn stipends by studying.

Yes

No

Not sure

Updates

+1 y

I want to add what antonlikesmlb said: The player's name and likeness are sold in stores, but the athletes themselves get 0 dollars. If they were not a college student this would be liable in court.

[andre251]

Yeah, watch crack baby basketball, the south park episode.

A few years back the players names and likeness was not used in video games.

Currently it is. I think it is very unfair to athletes especially since they do make so much money off of them. And yes, certain sports get more exposure and seem like they should really pay players. But this is of course against NCAA rules which I believe were made in order to make drafting fairer.

[BoobMan]

Yeah, probably. I mean they make a ton of money for the school and they work like crazy to do so. The schools basically are in agreement to not pay them so they can make more money. If any other industry did that to their workers people would be screaming bloody murder. But because they toss these kids a few bucks in tuition we're supposed to think they're being super generous?

[moaterboat]

Absolutely not. College athletics already screw up college enough. To be completely honest, many, if not most college athletes have absolutely no business being part of an institution that is supposed to be dedicated to higher learning. I see no point in rewarding them for getting in the way of the people who are going to college to actually learn something.

[Wayne22]

Well kinetics is another form of intelligence.

[rudy37lee]

They already have financial incentive, they get their schooling paid for. How about they take some of the money they make and help non athlete students through school. If someone wants to bitch about how time consuming it is to play sports, then quit, and pay your own way through school. You'll have plenty of time for a job then.

[antonlikesmlb]

Scholarships are a few grand short of athletes need. Most of them are living below the poverty level.

[canuckfarmgirl]

Agreed. Some of us have to work two jobs to pay for school. I've never played sports, that was for the students that came from better off families. I'd thank my lucky stars if I got scholarships like that. As for living below the poverty line, I call bull, I've lived there and most athletes I know are from what is really living below that line.

[shenholds09]

No, lol it was their choice to accept the scholarship and play for that team, they get what they tried so hard for it was their choice.

[antonlikesmlb]

Yes because they bring in billions of dollars for their college, they don't get a share of the merchandise profit with their name on it (video games, jerseys etc.), they're living below poverty level, also parity would be increased of there was a payroll.

[ElijahCynicism]

While I think America's system of rewarding students scholarships for their sporting credentials long before rewarding students scholarships for their scholarly merits, I am ultimately in favour of more money going out. So, I say yes.

[ElijahCynicism]

*'scholarly merits..' is strange.

[lucky24]

they should get paid for the merchandise portion maybe based on the amount of sales that have happened but they shouldn't get paid for playing. They aren't playing to get paid, its something they enjoy doing and most of them have gotten scholarships.

[THE_Godfather]

Yes, but through scholarships or credit towards tuition.

[BCRanger10]

They're called "scholarships".

[bellybuttonlint]

And they're called "selling the kid's own name and likeness on jerseys without a single cent going to the kid"