Analysis: Why College Athletes Should Not Be Paid

College sport is a lucrative business that generates more than eleven billion dollars in revenue every year. Furthermore, according to Mark Edelman from U.S. News claims, “Fifty colleges report annual revenues that exceed $50 million. Meanwhile, five colleges report annual revenues that exceed $100 million.” However, even with millions of dollars, college athletes are not compensated for their arduous dedication and effort. Many people have been supporting the NCAA with their regulations of paying college athletes stating that the scholarships athletes receive should be more than enough, but in reality, the scholarships athletes receive, which is about twenty five thousand dollars a year, covers only the basic necessities. The scholarship …show more content…
The answer is simple, yet dense: amateurism. The NCAA defines amateurism as being, “crucial to preserving an academic environment in which acquiring a quality education is the first priority.” Under the amateurism rule that was adopted in 2007, athletes are strictly restricted from making contracts with professional teams, getting paid for participating in athletics, receiving benefits from agents and obtaining prize money from competitions and matches. According to the NCAA, amateurism prevents student athletes from commercial exploitation and helps students maintain their education. But is amateurism enough? Even though college athletes are not professionals, college athletes have numerous parallels with professional athletes. For example, college athletes and professionals all spend a significant amount of time practicing their sport. Moreover, professionals and college athletes both generate billions of dollars in revenue. The only substantial difference between college athletes and professional athletes is the fact that college athletes are college students. It is inequitable to claim that college athletes are “amateurs” just because they are college