You may never experience sports culture like that again during your college years. Being a fan of your college sports team is such a fun experience. When you are a student athlete in college, you are surrounded by teammates and peers who admire you. All of that is amplified when your college team is actually good. College athletic programs are full of amazing players and even more amazing fans.
You may wonder why college student athletes are not paid like professional athletes when you observe the sports culture at your school. It is illegal for colleges to pay student athletes to participate in sports, but the issue is always up for debate. Is it appropriate for NCAA athletes to be paid for their skills? There are compelling arguments on both sides, but we agree with the NCAA’s rules. While in college, student athletes shouldn’t receive payment for playing sports.
Why College Student Athletes Should Get Paid
1. More Incentives for Student Athletes
College sports are already competitive, but when money is on the line, student athletes are more motivated to work harder. Student athletes already generate money for the school, so why shouldn’t they receive a share of it? Providing student athletes with a share of their contributions to college sports programs will motivate them to work harder and perform better.
During practice and games, student athletes will work harder than they would at a job they are paid for. If they don’t perform well, their “job” might be at risk.
2. Student Athletes Bring in Money
Student athletes are the main attraction when college students, parents, and alumni watch college sports. When you have good players, people will want to watch more games and pay more to attend. Colleges make a lot of money from student athletes, so paying them seems only fair.
The revenue from college sports contributes significantly to colleges overall, so there may be some left over for student athletes. Colleges make more money when student athletes perform well, so ticket sales and merchandise sales skyrocket. Since each college has a different program, the payment would differ accordingly.
3. Student Athletes Have No Time for Jobs
Student athletes cannot get jobs while in college due to the time commitment. You might not be able to afford the extra things you need while you’re in school if they’re on an athletic scholarship. Athletes can still have to pay for housing, food, and school supplies even if their tuition is fully covered.
Student athletes can earn money when they are paid. With that money, they can purchase necessities throughout their college career. There are not all student athletes on scholarship, so finding a job can be challenging. Before working, student athletes must consider their practice and game schedules.
Why College Student Athletes Should Not Get Paid
1. Student Athletes have Scholarships and Stipends
Athletic scholarships can cover college costs for student athletes. In addition to tuition and room and board, athletic scholarships can also include meal plans. Stipends are even offered by some schools to student athletes. During the semester, stipends allow students to spend money as they wish.
It may be taking away from other students’ opportunities to get their tuition paid by paying student athletes even more money. The department may not want to pay college players since free education is readily available.
2. Student Athletes Are Not Professionals
Students who become professional athletes are not at the professional level while they are in college. It would be like paying a professional athlete for their job to pay student athletes. College players are one step above amateur athletes, but they are not professionals.
Students athletes bring in revenue to their colleges, but not all colleges have enough funding to pay them. A professional athlete undergoes more rigorous training and has years of experience. Their profession may not be paid for years.
3. Student Athletes Would Value Payment Over Education
Student athletes would be more interested in getting paid than focusing on their education. College is for the purpose of furthering your education. A college education is the main purpose of going to school, not getting into a team. Their grades might suffer if they focused only on getting paid through athletics.
The most important thing in college is your grades, and everything else comes second. Students who are paid to play sports may put their sport above everything else.
College student athletes play an important role in the success of any college. Being a college student athlete at a bigger school can sometimes feel like being a celebrity. College isn’t about sports, it’s about education.
Getting paid for your college sports career would be nice, but it might not be in your college’s best interests. In addition to athletic scholarships, you can also take out student loans if you need more money for college.
Each college’s athletic department differs, so getting paid to play college sports can be challenging. College sports would become more political if compensation was received. Your education would be hampered by the need to observe more rules and deal with endorsement deals. Take advantage of your college sports years before signing a professional contract!
No matter if you are a college athlete with a scholarship or not, you can still search our scholarship database for millions in FREE scholarship money. With our Student Loan Finder, you can find and compare loans to help you pay for college.