Submitted by: Submitted by stategyrl
Views: 344
Words: 1488
Pages: 6
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 06/14/2013 06:20 PM
Collegiate Athletics is big business! One may say that programs are built on the backs of the athletic programs, but they are not professional athletes. Recently, there has been a push to begin paying college athletes; it is becoming more universally acceptable. The beauty of college athletics is the tradition and pure thrill of the young people playing the games. A sports experience that is passionate and uniquely American. By paying the student athletes that mystic will be gone.
The concept of a student-athlete is that the person is a student first and an athlete second. Paying the student athletes would give these athletes the picture that athletics is higher than academics, which should not be the case. If an athlete comes to any university to play, they need to understand that academics come before athletics and paying the athletes would send them the wrong message.
There has already been legislation pushed through giving athletes already on full scholarship up to $2,000 in addition to “tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies.” It is being overlooked that student athletes are eligible to receive Pell grants worth up to $5,000 a year, in addition to dipping into an Assistance Fund worth more than $100,000 for trips back home, new clothes, dental work and whatever else they can convince somebody is necessary.
The first issue is that student athletes are already receiving a free education, room and board, and food. National figures on the value of average tuition and fees run from about $28,000 to $50,000 a year; while non-athletes actually pay their way. Those are pretty good annual salaries for young adults who, generally speaking, have very few living expenses. The additional $2,000 is referred to by the NCAA as “cost of attendance” for the athlete. Also approved was a multiyear scholarship plan guaranteeing athletes a free ride for their entire career six years maximum. Up to now scholarships have been renewed annually and could be...