Payment of College Student-Athletes?

Welcome to the sport blog of Dylan and Kwa, hence the D&K! We know there is plenty to talk about and discuss when it comes to sports. We feel we can provide valid arguments and access with a specific topic at hand, that we witness practically everyday by being apart of the Houston Cougars men’s basketball program.

So with that being said, in today’s world there are many different social issues that are debated in the sport world. Some of the social issues include arguments on new rules added to the National Football League, professional athletes taking a stand for what they believe in, and equal pay to our woman athletes, but the social issue we’ll be focusing on is whether or not our college student-athletes should get paid; or if it’s already happening behind closed doors? Of course the athletes feel as if they should get paid, and that comes with good reasoning. They work extremely hard on a day-to-day basis more so than your average college student. They have to go through intense workout training as well as go to classes and get their work done. They do this all while still trying to have and maintain a social life outside of both. They also are highly marketed with merchandise under their number, as well as performing on national television every game. However, the average college student feels as if they should not be getting paid. Their take on this is that they are on full scholarship already so essentially they are getting paid. Not having to worry about student fees at a major university would be a big stress relief off of the non-college athlete. They feel as if they get special treatment and some think that it’s unfair. Why should they get paid if everything else is free? That’s their thought process. They feel as if there is no correlation between the two. While both sides obviously have their reasons why they should or shouldn’t, we will break down our argument on which side we believe and will partake in.

Now that we have provided you with the basis of both sides of this issue, here is our take on the topic at hand. Although both sides have a valid argument on why they think student-athletes should/or shouldn’t get paid, we will provide more of an inside scoop of things. First off our take on this is easy, we do believe that college student-athletes should get paid because we are involved daily in the division I college basketball setting. We witness and know what type of hard work goes into being a college basketball player… it’s nowhere near easy!! Yes they have the benefit of being provided a free education, but schoolwork is just one of the challenges it takes to compete at the collegiate level. From morning workouts, to practice, to meetings, to study hall these athletes barely have time to breathe… then they repeat the next day. Why not reward them with cash for enduring this long and grueling schedule? If that’s not enough then take into account the expectations put on these young adults to win and succeed in their programs in the spotlight; or the fact that the universities merchandise them by using their number on jerseys, or creating memorabilia of them, and selling these products for profit. Also with them playing every game on national television and the universities are profiting off of ratings from the game, and the student-athletes are not seeing a penny of that revenue made by the universities for using their name as a market strategy. Imagine playing in one of the biggest games in the country with the game being televised on ESPN. The game is trending on social media with the amount of buzz for a lifetime. The school benefits tremendously because of the ratings and sold out arena. The athletes perform their hardest without receiving any of that revenue. That’s tough to even think about, let alone actually partake in. I wouldn’t think anyone would want to be empty handed financially in this situation especially the athletes who indeed are the ones that are performing.

Now with this being said, could there also be a possibility that some of these college athletes are already getting paid, and reeking benefits behind closed doors? Of course there is a possibility, with multiple scandals and acquisitions being made against collegiate sports teams every year. From Reggie Bush receiving payments during his tenure at USC, which caused him to be stripped of his Heisman trophy; to DeAndre Ayton possibly taking money to ensure he commit to Arizona. It is a chain reaction that continues to happen that we will discuss more in detail next time. Hope you enjoyed our take, and thanks for tuning into D&K Fadeaway Scoop!