All Work and No Pay

All Work and No Pay

Anjelica Harris

University of Memphis

Abstract

I have researched college athletes to find out why they should be paid so that my reader can understand that they have the same qualifications as professional athletes. After researching, athletes are left with $3000 to $5000 in debt a year from underpaid tuition fees. Athletes may also be left with medical bills due to their medical bill not exceeding the amount of $90,000. The athletes are also unable to work due to their practice and game schedules that can equal up to 40 hours a week. College athletes should be compensated due to the lack of underpaid tuition, living expenses, and medical bills that they receive due to injury.

For many years college athletes have been putting all of their time, effort, and dedication into their particular sport. The athletes have to put so much hard work into their sport more and more each day. Student athletes have the opportunity to play college sports, because they put in the hard work, but they also love to play their sport. The athletes eat, live, and breathe their sport. Athletes have the opportunity to gain recognition for their school as well as showing off the great talent they possess. When playing for a particular school, student athletes are pushed to bring positive recognition and money to their school. In reality, it is the student athlete’s job to bring money and positive recognition to their school. In spite of the extra push that athletes receive, they still play with all of their heart. Over the past few years, a controversial question continues to rise. The controversial question is, “Should student athletes be paid?” Yes student athletes should be compensated for playing sports for their school.

Student athletes bring in majority of the revenue for the athletic program. The main sports that bring in the revenue are basketball and football. These are generally the two sports that receive the least compensation. If it wasn't for...