Running head: The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
Ryan Lovell
Drexel University
SMT 110
The Business of Sport
Dr. Brett Burchette
Critical Thinking Essay
November 15, 2013
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
Intercollegiate athletics have served both alumni and current students alike as an outlet
for escaping their customary routines while uniting various social groups under one umbrella
college community pride. Universities reap great benefits, as the revenues generated from
intercollegiate athletics are a tremendous source of funding for the universitys overall activities
and events. As the sports business continues to grow at exponential rates, the argument over
whether or not college athletes should be paid as competing members of the team as well as for
their likeness, has been a topic widely discussed, especially of late. With tickets sales, television
contracts, advertising and sponsorships, sport-specific merchandise, and many more areas, it can
be questioned that universities are exploiting their athletes skills and celebrity with one goal in
mind: to make the most money they can. The NCAAs response to the question highlights two
principles in particular: the idea of amateurism and that of the student-athlete. To the outside
observer however, it seems as though the NCAA simply cares about increasing their numbers
into the black. This paper will examine the impact athletes have on their given schools and what,
if anything, should be done to change the current NCAA policies in place.
Compensation for Participation
Upon close examination, we are exposed to the deceptive notion that the NCAA claims to
operate as a non-profit organization. Additionally, universities market and profit by certain
athletes and their successes while the athletes themselves see none of these commissions. In fact,
the NCAA punishes and prohibits these athletes and programs from participation if questions
surrounding amateurism arise. At what point should an athlete be allowed to see a portion of the
revenues they help to generate?
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
In the NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2, the principle of amateurism is defined, [s]tudent-athletes
shall be amateurs in an intercollegiate sport, and their participation should be motivated
primarily by education and by the physical, mental, and social benefits to be derived. Student
participations in intercollegiate athletics is an avocation, and student-athletes should be protected
from exploitation by professional and commercial enterprises (Amateurism, n.d.). Thus,
according to the NCAA, if an athlete wishes to participate on the college level, he or she must
comply with the NCAA rules and retain amateur status. Put another way, college athletes cannot
receive any additional money or benefits for their work on the field, court, etc. While this
statement seems quite simple at first, the issue of amateurism has evolved into a debate about
capitalism (Scheck, 2013). In a society based on the free market system in which a competitive
market exists and drives profits, it would make sense that players feel as though it is unjust that
the NCAA and their respective universities benefit from their performance and fame. While the
majority of athletes arent the gifted individuals who captivate the media and fans alike, the
stars, destined for professional careers and seemingly set to earn a good living, bring in
millions of dollars to their respective schools and contribute in ways well beyond the scope of a
free education.
Given that they are destined to make millions of dollars playing professionally, there is
little interest for many of todays elite athletes to stay in school, risking injury and the payday
that awaits them once they go pro. Effectively, college has become a mere gateway for them
until they are eligible to be drafted and signed to endorsement deals, calling in to question the
value of the aforementioned scholarships and free room and board the scholarships grant.
Looking at just the scope of college football, the argument for the compensation of
players is rooted in the fact that successful athletes drive their programs revenue by boosting
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
attendance, increasing vendor and merchandise sales, and attracting both local and national
media. And the rippling effect of this attention that benefits the university as a whole and the
surrounding community in general. A recent study by Forbes ranked the top 20 college football
teams based on four factors: their value to the university, their value to the athletic department,
their value to the conference to which they belong, and finally their value to the surrounding
community (College Footballs Most Valuable Teams, n.d.). From this study, it ranked the
University of Texas as college footballs most valuable team, which should come as no surprise
given their hefty spending, and recent television deal that will net the university a cool $300
million over the next two decades (Finger, 2013). With a current value of $129 million and a
football program generating $71 million last year, one would be hard pressed to argue that these
athletes, who commit countless hours a week to practice and games, dont have a direct impact
on the incredible revenues UT collects from them (University of Texas Longhorns, n.d.). So
while there is currently no inherent solution in place, it is clear that this argument is not going to
simply go away.
As a firm believer of the notion that college athletes deserve a share of the massive
amounts of revenue they help to create, I agree a conflict of interest still exists as to how these
athletes would be compensated without corrupting the system as a whole. While writing a check
and paying players a percentage of what they help to generate for the university is one discussed
solution, I do not see it as a viable option given that a disparity would exist as to what the
average athlete would receive versus what the teams stars would garner. The counter argument
insists that college athletes are already given enough and that the value of an education far
outweighs any sort of stipend they could receive, but this stance is also flawed. If less than two
percent of college athletes go on to professional careers, doesnt evidence speak for itself
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
qualifying some for a portion of the sales and revenue created by their contribution to
intercollegiate athletics (Scheck, 2013)?
I do think that any proposed change to the current system faces a fair amount of reprisal.
My proposed solution, of course not without its faults and deserving of careful analysis, would
be to treat this issue like the Olympics. By this I mean that the NCAA should allow athletes to
market themselves to endorsers and other sponsors whereby the hierarchy of players
compensation would be determined by their market value and how the general public perceives
them. Again, this is not the be-all and end-all of solutions but by allowing players to sign with
agents and commit to contracts, much of the revenue they argue is rightfully theirs would be
back in their control. The NCAA meanwhile could develop a system and subsequent review
processes of these agreements while maintaining their commitment to ensure protection from
exploitation by professional and commercial enterprises (Amateurism, n.d.). Although its
critics may argue that it takes away from the emphasis of educating these young men and
women, the fact remains that the Johnny Manziels, Andrew Wiggins, and other elite athletes of
todays college atmosphere know the riches and fame that await them and are just biding their
time when they can go. By allowing them to make money in addition to their individual college
programs and independent of their peers, it might encourage them to actually stay in school,
pursue a degree, and develop their game for the next level. A quote from the late John Wooden
holds that, [f]ailure is not fatal, but failure to change might be and I believe this sums up the
potential quandary college athletics faces if a change to the current system is not made (Wooden
& Jamison, 1997). Of course advocates for both sides of this argument have differing opinions
about this issue and there may not be one right answer, but it is clear that something needs to be
done and the NCAA faces some very tough decisions in the near future.
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
Conclusion
In a society that is generally enamored with the zeros on a paycheck and the material
goods that define ones wealth, its no wonder that the focus for college athletes is becoming
consumed with what they can earn beyond the football field, basketball court, etc. While the
NCAA continues to justify their stance of amateurism in intercollegiate athletics, it is hard not to
think that their true motives are a desire to make the most money they can by taking advantage of
the labor and body of work of these college athletes. A glaring weakness in their argument is that
academic programs arent making them money but rather athletic programs and thus their
emphasis, whether explicit or not, remains on promoting these college programs and bona fide
stars. So, while the NCAA can continue to argue that they have the best interests of these young
men and women in mind and that the emphasis of amateurism and the student-athlete is their
primary concern, the truth remains that they continue to pull in incredible revenues, on the
backs of these athletes. Yes, student athletes are given scholarships to these universities and
presented with the opportunity to achieve degrees from some of the nations finest institutions,
but the stars of todays college teams rarely intend to stay the four years minimum required of a
degree given the millions of dollars that await them in the professional sphere. Ultimately you
could argue they are throwing away a great opportunity for a free education but at the end of the
day, as they sit and watch the NCAA and their universities profit off their talent while they reap
none of the benefits, its no wonder a majority of them are looking to bolt at the first chance they
get. The argument of theses athletes is one deeply rooted in validity and certainly an issue that is
not going to simply disappear. Moving forward, the NCAA must make some grueling decisions
and while it wont be easy to protect both the current system and the system of the future, it is
clearer than ever before that, to the high-performing athlete, the value of an education isnt what
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
it used to be and the fortune that awaits them is far more lucrative outside the current NCAA
system.
The College Athlete: Why They Should Be Paid
References
Finger, M. (2013, August 30). Time Warner reaches deal to carry Longhorn Network - San
Antonio Express-News. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/college_sports/longhorns/article/Time-Warnerreaches-deal-to-carry-Longhorn-Network-4776894.php
Forbes (n.d.). College Football's Most Valuable Teams - In Photos: College Football's Most
Valuable Teams - Forbes. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emdm45el/college-footballs-most-valuable-teams-3/
Forbes (n.d.). University of Texas Longhorns - In Photos: College Football's Most Valuable
Teams - Forbes. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emdm45el/1-university-of-texas-longhorns/
NCAA (n.d.). Amateurism. Retrieved November 6, 2013, from
https://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/26400/old_site/pdfs/student-services/auto_pdf/0910student-handbook-pg-31-40.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=26400
Scheck, M. (2013, October 7). The NCAA's War to Preserve Amateurism. Emory
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Wooden, J., & Jamison, S. (1997). Part 2. In Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and
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