Should College Athletes Be Paid?

"Should College Athletes be paid?"

Have you ever had a job and never got paid for it? It has never happened to me and hopefully it never does but unfortunately college athletes do not a choice. The Chris Webber scandal brought up the question "Should college athletes be paid?" Webber decided to receive thousands of dollars along with his University of Michigan teammates from Ed Martin. Martin was the former Michigan booster who was arrested on charges of money laundering. There was also "unproven suspicions" that Webber and his teammates kept the game points close for the good of the gamblers as Martin requested.

If the players were paid to play, I believe this unfortunate event would never have happened. The National Colligate Athlete Association is stating these ridiculous policies make it hard for student athletes to just afford a McDonalds meal. Not only is the NCAA making rules but they are making money of these athletes with the sign of a $930,000,000 with ABC. In my own opinion I think it is unfair for the athletes to see their fans wear their jerseys or to be put on video games and not see a single cent.

The NCAA has many rules saying that the athletes can not receive any financial help from others. They are allowed to get educational repayment but can not sign with an agent and retain eligibility; can not do commercials or receive meals, clothing, transportation, or other gifts by people other than their family members. It is not fair that the coaches can have agents and are allowed to support products for some type of reimbursement. Furthermore, the coaches can receive gifts such as automobiles, country club memberships and housing subsidies but if the athletes so much as consider accepting gifts, they are slapped on the wrist for it or even kicked out of the sport altogether

"College Athletes should be Paid" by D. Stanley Eitzen. Sports and Athletes. James D. Torr, Ed. Opposing ViewpointsÐ'® Series. Greenhaven Press, 2005.

"College Athletes should not be Paid" by Jason Whitlock. Sports and Athletes. James D. Torr, Ed. Opposing ViewpointsÐ'® Series. Greenhaven Press, 2005.

"Should College Athletes be Paid Salaries?" (pro and con interviews with George Sage and John Davis) U.S. News & World Report, Dec 23, 1985 v99 p56(1)