College athletes need to get paid

Marvin Williams, UNC-Chapel Hills Basketball Player

“You go to Chapel Hill and try to go to a Carolina-Duke game, good luck trying to find a ticket.  It’s put on national television.  There’s so much money that goes behind just one basketball game. I do think the players from both sides should definitely see some type of benefit,” stated Marvin Williams, former UNC-Chapel Hill basketball player.

Athletes have no time outside of school and their sports for a job to help pay for their needs.  Most athletes get scholarships for their classes, but that does not give them money to pay for food and beverages.  Also, studies show that players who do not receive scholarships end up either quitting or become stressed thinking of all the payments they have to pay after they graduate.  College athletics is a commitment, just as much as a job. This goes to show that athletes should get paid for the hours they put in and the ticket sales they produce for the school.

Graph showing revenue colleges make from the college athletes

They work their tails off for the team and fans and organization, but do not get paid.  Free labor. Schools pay the athletes for some of their classes depending on the scholarship, but not all of it and it will not provide outside needs.  Also, the heat and intensity level they play in or at for the school is unbelievable, students who play at a high level should get high pay. If you’re super good, and provide a ton for your team and the school, you should get your college paid for.

All college athletes risk time with family, time to do activities on their own, and build stress for classes on top of that.  To hold a passing grade and play college sports isn’t healthy for students athletes. College work requires major time and attention span.  Studies have shown to expect a passing grade out of an athlete while in season is super unhealthy for kids.

College athletes get scholarships which pay for their education which should be enough for them to make it through because if they make it through to the end, they will get paid millions.

Overall, student college athletes should be paid an amount of the ticket sales they produce for their college or university.  Without them, those ticket sales would not exist, and the school wouldn’t be as well known’ for athletics without the efforts and time these kids put into their school athletics.