Running Head: A PROBLEM EXISTS 1

A Problem Exists

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A PROBLEM EXISTS 2

Introduction

The college sports industry has been generating billions of revenues in every year for the

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member colleges. These revenues are

collected from numerous sources such as ticket sales, the sale of broadcast rights and

sponsorship rights (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2015). Interestingly, these revenues are shared

among NCAA executives, coaches, and athletic directors without giving a share to the college

students who participates in games as players (Kaburakis, 2007). Besides, NCAA member

colleges continue to oppose the idea if sharing revenues with student-athletes. This study will be

discussing arguments provided by NCAA member colleges on not pay student-athletes. The

main aim will be to determine whether it is necessary for student athletes to be paid. The study

will be targeting NCAA member colleges and student bodies. Hence, the NCAA member

colleges should reform their rules to ensure that student-athletes whose labor they depend on get

their share of revenues collected from NCAA games.

College sport is a lucrative venture that rakes in a lot of money from ticket sales,

merchandise offsetting and broadcast rights to the games. The fact that the players dont get a

share of the revenue is worrisome. Hence, it is critical to understand the modalities of the

finances and how the funds are shared (Carlson, 2016). Next, it is imperative to understand the

commercial value and subsequent remuneration of the players who happen to be students on their

role while playing. In essence, it rests on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

member colleges should reform their rules to ensure that student-athletes whose labor they

depend on, get their share of revenues collected from NCAA games. In the world of athletics,

college athletics has proved to be beneficial to large financial benefits to NCAA member

colleges, executives, coaches, and athletic directors. This issue has led to many debates regarding
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the payment of the athletes. The NCAA member colleges and proponents think that scholarship

awarded to the student athletes is enough while others assert that the payments might compel

them to leave the college early for taking part in the athletics.

Problem

Firstly, the NCAA believes athletes do not deserve to be paid because the learning is the

main that brought them to college and many other member students take part in various school

activities like student organizations, sports, and theater. The NCAA thinks that every group is

equally important to the colleges and should be treated fairly and equally. The other students will

demand payment as well if athletes are paid for playing sports because they take part in different

activities. As a result, this issue will lead to student conflicts (Carl, 2005). However, the college

athletes generate a lot of money to their colleges. The players deserve receive some share of this

money because it is through them that the colleges have the popularity and money. College

athletes generate a considerable amount of income for their colleges and would be ethical to pay

student-athletes for their services (James and William, 2005).

Secondly, the NCAA claims that athletes receive support and scholarships from their

colleges. The money generated from athletics get is constantly given back to the students them in

the form of scholarships and grants. Also, even if athletics generate billions of money in revenue

for colleges, expenses go hand in hand which indirectly or directly assist the college athletes

(John and Rodney, 2004). Proponents however believe that most of college athletes are not

financially stable because they mostly depend on money given to them by their parents which is

not sufficient enough to cater for their basic necessities and expenses. Also, the NCAA thinks

that that more than half of the student athletes do not graduate on the required time and others

even fail to graduate (Joseph, 2006). For those that graduate, they have a shortcoming because
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they did some courses that are less competitive that requires little effort. Therefore, the athlete

students do not deserve to be paid (John, 2006). However, athletes that graduate from colleges

remain because of their continued support from their parents, guardians, or sponsors that send

money to them. Moreover, they are paid, the graduation rates for college athletes would increase.

Paying athletes would be beneficial for the college and players would be forced to go for college

education rather than only focusing on the sports. Most of the athletes that have the prospect to

leave school and turn professional do so, because college athletes live in poverty. To avoid all

the negative gains, the athletes need to be paid (Kenneth and Timothy, 2002).

Thirdly, the NCAA states that paying students will have a low concentration on education

as compared to sports. The student-athletes at many American colleges get the benefits of the

high quality education system to have a good life in future. Student-athletes amuse and entertain

people with their talents and if the college decides to pay athletes, they will move the colleges

main stated objectives and goals further away by disrupting the main point of college which is to

learn. Moreover, the college athletes will be forced to start thinking about other things that will

eventually prevent them from academic and athletic schedules. Additionally college athletes

leave the college earlier to take part in professional sports which forces them to drop their

education because they have a stable source of income which makes them not to think about

completing their courses or graduating (Joseph, 2006).

However, other opponents think that college athletes do not need extra cash do not

consider the psychological aspect. For example, talented college athletes are torn between the

opportunity to start playing and earn money, and furthering their education which maybe makes

them not to complete college. Being in such situation, athletes experience a lot of tension from

the from parents, potential sponsors, and friends. Therefore, college athletes should be paid some
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cash and allowances that allow them to decide freely and continue their college and athletic

career.

Conclusion

Since there are many opinions the issue of athletes' payment, the NCAA member colleges

should create and implement more rational decisions in the near future that will assist the overall

student body as well as the college athletes to come up with the right decisions regarding their

future in a free manner, without any restrictions. Whatever the NCAA decides, it should

particularly consider needs and rights of the college athletes the available opportunities in their

future. This policy proposition framework is directed and aimed to influence the official

standpoint and ensure that forthwith all the players will be covered regarding wages earned from

their labor. It means that the NCAA as the official agency on the matter should develop an

official position that would legalize the payment of the student players. Secondly, it is aimed to

spark a critical shift in decision making arms of the individual or member colleges regarding

their viewpoint and perception of handling the student players. Thirdly, it is important to mention

that college sports are wide fraternity of different units of people who must be covered or

included in the financial or commercial decision-making mechanism of how to set the

remuneration level. In principle, the players, coaches, colleges, supporters, sponsors and the

media are all fundamental components of college sports. As such, it would be fair to obtain their

opinion and suggestions on the matter regarding the question of pay and the subsequent level to

be set. It goes without saying and mentioning that the labor and value of work of the students

make commercial value to the NCAA and other relevant agencies. However, the main workers or

laborers do not get compensated for their efforts hence the scope of the paper would be to

articulate a fair debate and inspire the notion of payment to the student. At the very least,
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compensation of the different sections of the NCAA membership must be pegged on marginal

output and productivity.

References

Carlson, E. (2016). Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Why the NCAA Should Lose Its Tax-Exempt

Status if Scholarship Athletes are Considered Employees of Their Universities. Syracuse

L. Rev., 66, 157.

Carl, E. J. (2005). Race in Play: Understanding the Socio-Cultural Worlds of Student-

Athletes. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press.

James L. S. & William G. B. (2005). The Game of Life: College Sports and Educational

Values. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

John, F., & Rodney, F. eds. (2004). Economics of College Sports. Westport, CT: Praeger.

John R. G. (2006). Air Ball: American Education's Failed Experiment with Elite Athletics.

Jackson, MS: University of Mississippi Press.

Joseph N. C. (2006). In the Arena: The NCAA's First Century. Indianapolis, IN: National

Collegiate Athletic Association.

Kaburakis, A. (2007). International Prospective Student-Athletes and NCAA Division 1

Amateurism. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing 2(1).

Kenneth L. S., & Timothy, D. (2002). The Business of Sports Agents. Philadelphia:

University of Pennsylvania Press.

Sanderson, A. R., & Siegfried, J. J. (2015). The case for paying college athletes. The Journal of

Economic Perspectives, 29(1), 115-137.

Kaburakis, A. (2007). International Prospective Student-Athletes and NCAA Division 1

Amateurism. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing 2(1).