Should College Athletes Be Paid?

Should College Athletes be Paid?

College athletics has gained great popularity on Americans over the past few years. Which has resulted in a big increase for the National Athletic Association (NCAA). Which has ignited the debate of whether college athletes should be compensated beyond their athletic scholarships. Many believe that college athletes should be paid for playing because the create revenue for the college; however, this topic is greatly debated because these are not professional athletes or school employees, but students that already receive athletic scholarships for their athletic participation.

Playing in big-time college sports is sometimes seen as a job. Athletes don’t have time to get a job, because of practices and games. Student athletes receive scholarships to cover college living costs. “The NCAA, in accordance with courts that have addressed the issue, believe that student athletes are not employees, under the law, and that they should not be treated as employees either by the law or by the schools they attend.” And “Moreover, taxing authorities do not consider the benefits student athletes receive to be taxable compensation.” (Cooper) Benefits received by college athletes are not taxable. Their attendance is a privilege and they may earn a degree while participating in athletics attending college. Participants in college are open to the idea of stipend during season.

College coaches get a lot of revenue to coach college athletes, the better the athletes on the team the more revenue they receive annually. Many have belief that college athletes put in too much hard work, and earn too much revenue for the colleges not to earn compensation beyond their athletic scholarships. “Most benefit. Most Division 1 athletes that get a scholarship are in sports that generate no revenue.” (Reschke). In the more popular sports such as college basketball and football produce more revenue for the NCAA and the college they attend. The money they produce is...