Summary: College Athletes Should Be Paid

Free food, a comfortable place to sleep, and a top tier education, what more can a young adult ask for? The debate over compensating collegiate athletes has grown quite controversial in recent years. In recent years the college athletic industry has grown to generate large profits, while leaving the students who make the sport spectacle possible unpaid. Many argue that college athletes are compensated through their scholarships and therefore do not deserve any additional monetary payment. There are many great reasons to support each argument, so many so that either side will never achieve a victory. In order to put the argument to rest, their needs to be compromised. Therefore, I believe that college athletes should not receive monetary compensation, rather they should be awarded “true full scholarships” that covers everything needed during their time in college.
Over fifty colleges reported athletic revenues over fifty million dollars, five colleges even reported revenues that exceeded 100 million dollars. Yet, the average college athlete still tends to pay over five thousand …show more content…
Collegiate athletics is like no other because an athlete's pride is valued. Unlike professional sports, college athletes are not awarded extra benefits for choosing one team over another. The table is set for the athlete to choose which offer to accept based on their interest, not on money. This unique aspect will not exist if colleges were made to pay players, as monetary compensation will start a bidding war. Additionally, the truth is that most colleges cannot afford to compensate players. Only a handful of colleges generate enough money to comfortably afford to pay athletes. If colleges are forced to pay players, smaller institutions will face significant economic losses. This will lead to a decrease in sports offered in a college, thus negatively affecting the entire student