In the world of sports, there is a debate about whether student-athletes should get paid for their hard work. In college sports, students are expected to work hard at practice and in the real game. The students also have to put time into their studies so they can be eligible to play, but they are receiving their education at no or a lower cost. Some college sports fans and even some people who are involved in the college sports business say there are several reasons that student athletes should get paid.
One reason is the school time they lose during their season. Imagine having to go across the country to play a sport while keeping up with your course load. One of my athlete sources said that, “College athletes really have to work hard because of the pressure they are under if the sport is something they want to do as a career.” Another source, a Division 1 college athlete, said that some major challenges were, “Balancing schoolwork, sport workouts/practice/meetings, and social life.” He suggests that if college athletes were to get paid, based on their sport, they could get part of the revenue generated.
One other thing to consider is that if the student gets injured and can’t play, his whole career as an athlete will be over, and he won’t get paid for any of his or her hard work. However, some others involved in college sports say college athletes shouldn’t get paid. College athletes do have to work hard day in and day out, but universities pay for new uniforms, road trips, rooms, and new equipment, totaling approximately $41,471 per player. One of my sources said that, “College athletes shouldn’t get paid because it would be a job rather than an activity for them.” Playing a college sport is a big commitment and is a big step to a student’s future. There are many things to consider in deciding if athletes should get some of the revenues from their sport.