Should college athletes get paid?

Elisa (No)

College athletes should not be paid simply because most colleges cannot afford to do this, and paying them can take away from other sports or programs. Since all universities could not pay college athletes equally, some universities would get the ‘cream of the crop,' meaning bigger schools would become ‘powerhouses’ gathering all the best athletes. 

Besides practicality, college athletes do not deserve to be paid, mainly because most college athletes get full-blown scholarships. College athletes already get paid, in a manner of speaking, by receiving free food, access to high-quality gyms, health insurance, and, most importantly, free tuition or college scholarships. This should be considered more than enough compensation for their time playing their preferred sport while in college.

Moreover, paying college athletes gives them a wrong idea about the purpose of college. Athletics already produce major time conflicts for studying and classes, and paying student players may strain their educational motivation. Besides, the likelihood of going professional is small, so it is essential athletes are as focused on learning and their academic future—not just getting paid for participating in sports. 

Finally, it isn’t the college’s duty to pay athletes. Rebecca Matthews writes, ‘Colleges are primarily used to better your education, not kick start your athletic career. Besides, there are already some benefits to being a student athlete on campus. For example, by getting college degrees, students can get offered job market opportunities that they normally wouldn’t.’

While there are many reasons not to pay college athletes, it simply does not benefit them in the long run. Colleges aren’t sports establishments—they are places to grow and flourish in education and create realistic opportunities for the future. College athletes should value their education and focus on success in school sports more than anything else. 

Mark (Yes)

The fact that people are still discussing whether college athletes should be paid is problematic in every sense. College athletes not only draw money for their respective schools, but they generate billions in merchandise and ticket sales. In fact, several colleges make up a large percentage of their funding on the backs of college athletes. Like any other public figure or performer of any variety, college athletes should be entitled to royalties for the profits they garner. The idea that these athletes are faceless and arbitrary is nothing short of reductive.

Even for those coming from high-income families, college can still be one of the most circumstantially frugal times in your life. If college athletes aren't offered some stipend for their sacrifice and efforts, they may have to find it in other, often less reputable ways. College-level athletes are always at risk of injury, and health insurance is tricky to navigate at that age. Providing these young people with something that constitutes an annual income would avoid a potential catastrophe in the event of an injury. The difficulty and hollow chances of these athletes actually making it into the pros are enough to warrant their compensation alone.

Playing college sports at a high level requires time, dedication, and sacrifice. If college athletes devote this much of their lives and mental health to their schools, they deserve compensation. Finally, paying college athletes to play would have a trickle-down effect that could benefit all students. Due to the higher volume of applicants, tuition prices would be lowered to accommodate a growing enrollment. Paying college athletes could go a long way in making higher education more attainable for students of every income bracket.