Monday, July 7, 2014

Should college athletes get paid or be allowed to receive gifts?

It seems like every year the topic of whether collegiate athletes should get paid or be allowed to receive gifts for participating in athletics comes up. The NCAA makes several billions of dollars off of student athletes per year. There are shirts made with names like Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, and several others who don't see a cent. It is their faces and names on these jerseys and shirts, but why aren't they getting at least a percentage of what is sold? They put their body through everything but hell itself, and they aren't getting paid for it. Why is this? Many professionals have been quoted in saying, "They are students first, and athletes second." I agree with this. I feel like if college athletes started to get paid, we would just be speeding up the process of them having to deal with the real world and the kinds of people big money attracts. These are kids between the ages of 18 and 22, and we would be forcing them to grow up faster. I could see more and more college athletes turning into spoiled brats (e.g. Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, etc.). Is this what we want? Athletes who contribute more to the media, than on the field? Let me bring up a point for the other side. If college athletes were paid while still in college, do you think more would stay and get their degree? I mean that is what they are there for, even though a lot of the "stars" leave as soon as they can or play until their senior year and go to the pros. I'd like to point out without these college athletes there would be no money for the fat cats that work for the NCAA, but we all know these athletes will never stop playing. As much as they complain and as much as they and former players beg and bring up all kinds of lawsuits, the NCAA will keep making billions of dollars off of college athletes, for the sole reason of everyone is happy. College athletes get access to a PR utopia through the college. A very expensive PR dip in the pool, but they are able to get their names on jerseys. They are able to get these professional teams to look at them, and sign them to big ridiculous contracts. They probably make more in a year than I probably will make in my entire life.  Hell, some even get a degree and a hefty contract. So, what I say to these college athletes who complain about not getting paid, "stop bitching and play the damn game!"

1 comment:

  1. I love it how it is with athletes not getting paid. If they were getting paid by the college, the next argument would go to if they should be allowed to get endorsements and sponsors. You'd create an atmosphere where athletes were capitalizing off their name before the pros which would lead to the discussion, "who needs the pros?" Guys would already be rich before they got into their respective league which would stunt the growth of a lot of athletes.

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