Analysis: Should College Athletes Be Paid

Should college athletes be given legal payment for their contribution to the universities? Many colleges around the United States have given thought to paying the athletes that play at their schools, especially in Division 1 programs. Collegiate athletes believe they are the source of income for their school, and request to obtain a part of what they produce. Although lawmakers, and experts conclude that paying college athletes would remove the amateurism from the game, college athletes should be paid because they are making money for the college, they are dedicating countless hours of hard work, also they would stay in school longer. Some critics state that college athletes are defined as amateurs, meaning they are not aloud to receive payment
The NCAA manages everything in college sports, and is considered a non-profit organization, all of the money they make is redistributed to the colleges that are part of the NCAA. Just football, and basketball generates 6 billion dollars a year, and not one penny of that money would've been made if it were not for the student athletes. In "Pay To Play: Should College Athletes Be Paid?," Adele Birkenes and Akash Bagaria who have written six articles about student life states "It is only reasonable that student athletes have a share in the millions of dollars that their sports businesses bring in." The statements by the authors bring to light this one simple question, why can the athletes be rewarded for making the NCAA and colleges successful? Although paying college athletes is not an easy decision for the people in charge, many support paying student athletes. There has been many proposals dating back to the 1950's, but there are five proposals that have a very good chance of getting passed, and used. In the article "Point/Counterpoint: Paying College Athletes," Dennis Johnson states "...former NCAA President Miles Brand's suggestion and allocate athletes include a $2,000-$3,000 cost of living increase to full scholarships...This would provide the athletes with the needed income for clothes, laundry, sundries, travel,
The colleges as well as the NCAA are exploiting these athletes. Many believe that the NCAA is breaking the United States antitrust law. With athletes committing countless hours of work, they are falling back in school, and not working towards the degree they are supposedly at that college for. These athletes are devoting to their college sport in hope of going to the NFL, NBA or the MLB. If they don't make it to a professional level, most student athletes will not receive a degree. In the article "Point/Counterpoint: Paying College Athletes," by Dennis Johnson and John Acquaviva claims that "They come here and are treated like royalty. Until they break a leg or get put on the second string and they get set aside. Many don't earn a degree. They don't have the training or the skills to be independent after they leave the university." The quote pulled from the article shows that when a star athlete gets hurt on the field or court, they are pressed aside. Star high school athletes that are brought to a top college then pushed down the line, most don't earn a degree, even the athletes who get hurt don't earn a degree at the end of their college years. This problem all comes down to the athletes that are putting in hard work for their school, with the mindset that playing football, basketball or baseball will be their future job at the