fys100

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Julie Kitchen
Harold Blanco
FYS100
16 Sept. 2014
Should College Athletes Be Paid?
In the Newsday article, A rim-rattling ruling in college sports; Athletes aren’t blind to the
billions they earn for the NCAA, Michael Dobie, a member of Newsday’s Editorial Board, gives
his views on why he feels basketball and football players in colleges should receive pay. He
addresses the amount of money these players bring in for the NCAA. There are billions of
dollars brought into the NCAA by these players (Dobie A36). Although these players are
compensated with scholarships, Dobie feels that they are not fairly compensated. He refers to a
ruling by the National Labor Relations Board that Northwestern University football players are
employees of the school. This would allow players to form unions and bargain. Others fear
paying players would destroy athletics, because other sports programs, which are not profitable
to the schools, could be cut in order to pay the players who are bringing in revenue. Dobie also
states the amount of hours athletes spend in practices, as compared to their compensation, is out
of balance. Neither are athletes guaranteed to receive their scholarships for four years. They are
in danger of being dropped if they do not play well and thus lose their scholarship. Athletes are
not compensated with any other type of stipend to help with their cost of living and are not
allowed to profit from anything using their image, i.e., games, posters, etc.

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Another issue student athletes are facing is injury, especially head injury. If they do
suffer an injury causing them to drop out of their sport, they are not compensated. They would
lose their scholarship and also have no help covering any future medical expenses.
Another issue to consider is Title IX, federal legislation that bars discrimination due to
gender, Chanan Tigay. Tigay states that this would open an argument for women coaches and
players to also receive compensation pay. She points out that men’s sports are still much more
prominent than women’s sports and exposure and coverage are more vast. Tigay has a degree in
political science and Religion from the University of Pennsylvania and a degree in Political
Writing from Columbia.
Reed Karaim wrote a detailed article, “Paying College Athletes”, with extensive
discussion on why players should or should not be paid. Not only does he discuss the reasons
for and against college athletes being paid, but also the affect on these athletes academically.
Amy Perko, Executive Director of Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics is
opposed to athletics becoming professional teams under the “banner of education.” Her concern
is that the athletics are becoming more important than the education. She has served in several
sports leadership roles for over 20 years.
Gerald Gurney, a professor at University of Oklahoma, is a specialist in athletics ethics
and academic reform who feels different standards are set for athletes, allowing them to get into
universities. These same athletes may not qualify for admission if standards were not waived for
them. Emphasis is not on their education, but their athletic abilities. Gurney feels this makes
athletes “less than prepared” for their education. Gurney has held several positions of leadership
in the National Association for Academic Advisers for Athletics.

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Daniel Mahoney, Dean of College of Education, Health and Human Resources at Kent
State, refers to the fact that he is already having problems with coaches who are seeking higher
pay for the roles they play in college athletics. Some have already received much greater
salaries. This could potentially open up more problems with student athletes seeking further
compensation. Mahoney notes the NCAA is firm in their stand that athletes are fairly
compensated and should not receive pay.
In an article on Academic Search Premier entitled Should College Student -
Athletes be Paid, two points of view are argued. First, Horace Mitchell an
Associate Professor of Law at California State Univers it y states “Divis ion 1 teams
are high-profile, high- income and student athletes are amateurs who choose to
participate. ” Mitchell argued the time athletes spend in college should be
academically based and “consiste nt with the student body.” He further discusses
athletes should be compensated in some form for the time spent in practice, as it
prevents them from earning any extra money in some form of employment o utside
of their sport, but is against athletes receiving salaries.
In that same article, Marc Edelman, Associate Professor of Law, Baruch
College argues college sports generates millions of dollars annually. The revenue
comes from many sources, but a lot of the “revenue goes to NCAA offic ia ls,
athletic directors, and coaches. ” He also notes the highest paid pubic employees in
40 states are football and basketball coaches. The players do not receive any of
that revenue. In 2011, an article entitled “The Price of Poverty in Big Time College
Sports” discusses athletes on scholarship s living below poverty level. Edelman

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feels not paying the athletes arises from “greed and self interest.” He is in favor of
players being compensated for their contribution to college sports.
An article in Sports Illustrated, An Honest Wage, states college athletes should
remember, “when they ask for cash, they are being paid” (Wolff). He cites many instances of
athletes being compensated through food, clothing, and shoes, and some even being given money
to come to schools. He further states that colleges that “do not ensure academic success exploit
players.” While players are unhappy with not being paid and feel the NCAA are profiting from
them, Wolff feels athletes should covet their education and work hard at it so they are prepared
for a future that might not include professional sports.
In reviewing all of these writings and the original article by Dobie, I find I have mixed
feelings about paying athletes, but I lean more toward not paying them salaries. I do feel the
NCAA is certainly benefiting greatly from these athletes, but at the same time students of any
type should, above all else, be in college for an education. I understand the demands on their
time limit any other kind of income for them and a stipend of some sort is warranted. If these
athletes are paid these high wages, it further separates them from the other students and their
own academic needs. Also, if they are somehow injured or disabled by their sport, they may not
have a received appropriate education which would allow them to be self sufficient,, although
this is not true of every athlete, There are those who want to obtain a good education along with
involvement in sports, but, according to the research stated, this seems to be the exception rather
than the rule. Colleges who contribute to this are not being fair to the athletes.
The one area my view differs is in the use of a players image or name. Those things are
his personally. That’s his face and his name. If there is any revenue generated in these areas,
the greater percentage should go to the athlete. I don’t say 100%, because I am aware if an

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athlete was not representing a school in his sports career he would not have the exposure nor
would his name be known.
In conclusion, Dobie does seem to lean toward paying athletes, but I do feel his view is
somewhat biased, as he seems only concerned with the money the players should get and does
not speak to their education and future, which for the majority will not include sports.

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Works Cited
Karaim, Reed, “Paying College Athletes.” CQ Researcher, 11 July 2014. Web.
16 Sept. 2014.
Mitchell, Horace, Edelman, Marc. “Should College Student-Athletes be Paid?”
US News Digital Weekly, 27 Dec, 2013: Web. 16 Sept. 2014.
Tigay, Chanan, “Women and Sports.” CQ Researcher, 25 March 2011: Web.
16 Sept. 2014.
Wolff, Alexander, “An Honest Wage.” Alexander, Sports Illustrated (1994): Web.
16 Sept. 2014.