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Should College Athletes Be Paid to Play?

Topics: National Collegiate Athletic Association, College athletics, Sports culture Pages: 2 (630 words) Published: February 23, 2011
Should college athletes be paid to play their sport? This has been a hot topic discussed by many people over the past several years. Through my research, I have come across several different opinions on this matter. I have also found many pros and cons to paying college athletes. Many college athletes receive scholarships each year. These scholarships can cover all, or part of, tuition, books, meals, and housing. Some scholarships can end up being worth as much as $200,000 over a four-year period (Sturgill). While this may seem like a lot of money, it is arguably not enough for athletes today. Also, it is believe that student-athletes also receive special treatment when it comes to academics (Sturgill). Therefore, many people believe college athletes are already well-compensated.

These athletes are in college, not the pros, so why pay them? Really, the only difference between college athletics and professional athletics is that college athletes are not paid. If the NCAA decides to start paying these athletes, then college sports would turn into professional sports. Also, paying these college athletes cash could lead to an increase in unsportsmanlike conduct among athletes, as we often see in the pros (Sturgill). An increase in unsportsmanlike conduct is something that most people would not like to see happen. While some college sports bring in millions of dollars to their university, there are several sports are not as successful. Not all sports bring in enough money to pay for its athletes to play. Therefore, not all athletes could be paid equally, and not paying athletes equally could cause problems among the athletes and parents. Athletes leave school early each year for the pro’s. If college athletes were paid to play, we would see less athletes leaving school early. Attending college and receiving a degree is important for one to have a successful career. If college athletes were paid, they would not be in such a rush to get into...
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