Do you think college athletes should be paid?

[jenben8426]

So I've read through the entire thread and I haven't seen this mentioned yet.

No one is forcing these kids to play this sport--it is their choice to do it. Some just enjoy the sport that they have grown up loving. A very small few are actually hoping that something pro may come out of it and are using the school to get what they want. If they want that end goal of being pro, then they need to do what they have to do.

I'm in the boat that they *are* getting paid, and paid well (at least the kids that are in the group we are talking about--those kids who are making the university the big bucks). If they aren't going to be grateful for that, then again--no one is forcing them to play the sport. They can go and watch as many movies and go to as many parties as they want when they don't want to follow the rules set forth and get kicked off the team.

 

[sam_gordon]

Yes, but only enough to cover living expenses based on what a part-time job at minimum wage would pay them. Most of the people I know in collage work 5-7 days a week, so if the athlete is practicing 5 days a week, has 1 day off, and 1 game or meet a week, that should translate to 6 working days at 4 paid working hours a day at 24 hours a work week if the state minimum wage is $7.50 an hour would equal out to $180 a week. The university/collage would give them a paycheck like every employee that works there and the student athlete would be subject to having taxes taken out like everyone else. Every athlete regardless of wether they are on a scholarship, paying 50%-100% tuition, come from a well to do family and so on would all receive the same amount. This way they're essentially making roughly the same as their peers who are not athletes.

Should they then have to give up their scholarships since the school is now "paying" them?

I just looked it up. Our local college charges $10,526/semester for an out of state undergrad. There's another $3600 in housing and meals (that's the "traditional" housing vs. "premium"). Add in books, and you're at ~$15,000/semester, $30,000 for a school year. Let's use the 30 hours/week average discussed earlier. That means over the year, an athlete puts in 1560 hours.

$30,000/1560 = $19.20/hour of "work". You think they should make the same as a "non-athlete"?

 

[LisaR]

Yes, but only enough to cover living expenses based on what a part-time job at minimum wage would pay them. Most of the people I know in collage work 5-7 days a week, so if the athlete is practicing 5 days a week, has 1 day off, and 1 game or meet a week, that should translate to 6 working days at 4 paid working hours a day at 24 hours a work week if the state minimum wage is $7.50 an hour would equal out to $180 a week. The university/collage would give them a paycheck like every employee that works there and the student athlete would be subject to having taxes taken out like everyone else. Every athlete regardless of wether they are on a scholarship, paying 50%-100% tuition, come from a well to do family and so on would all receive the same amount. This way they're essentially making roughly the same as their peers who are not athletes.

Most of the people you know in collEge work 5 - 7 days a week? Really?? I can't think of a single person I know at the moment (teen, college age, adult, senior) who works seven days a week. I can't imagine a full time college student working seven days a week and passing their classes.

 

[declansdad]

Unfortunately yes. Lifelong injuries from college play are fairly common. Still against paying them but they do sacrifice physically often.

I coached university volleyball for 7 years and I never had a player who risked their life or a limb to play.

 

[Colleen27]

I coached university volleyball for 7 years and I never had a player who risked their life or a limb to play.

Obviously life and limb is hyperbole, but there's no denying the risks of the big money college sports. Football in particular can bring on a lifetime of health issues even without an injury severe enough to end the player's career - between concussions and joint damage the players are certainly taking big risks with their personal health for the sake of the game.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Marc Buoniconti, Adam Talifero, Hank Gaithers, Travis Roy all lost life or use of limb in intercollegiate sport competition, and that's without a web search. These did occur in collision sports. Wonder what a decent literature review would show if looking for college sports related deaths and spinal cord injuries?

Flo Hyman did manage to make a living playing a non revenue sport after college, but she died on the volleyball court.

 

[Burnedout]

I coached university volleyball for 7 years and I never had a player who risked their life or a limb to play.

Really? I'm married to a aaa baseball coach and in the 20 years we've been involved there have been two life changing head injuries, many many arm injuries and several knees that will never be the same and that removed them from the sport. Football and basketball injuries are a far higher ratio of course.

As a aaa school there are no scholarships. Money is found for some but most sign the same promissory notes that the regular students do. And about half that come to the program come in hopes of going pro because we have had several do so.

 

[Burnedout]

MALE ATHLETES
Concussions at all levels of football are a tremendous problem as of 2011, with a growing number of retired professional football players suffering from dementia after repeated concussions during their playing days. Among college football players, 34 percent have had one concussion and 30 percent have had two or more concussions. As the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery reports, if you have a second concussion, even a minor one, soon after the first concussion, you might die. A total of 26 deaths, most occurring since 2000, are attributed to "second impact syndrome." The neurological effects of concussions in college athletes also can result in learning disabilities and severe memory impairments. There is a lower, but significant, incidence of concussions in soccer as well.

A brief steal from livestrong.com

 

[Mkrop]

NO they are getting paid...they are getting paid by their scholarship.

 

[declansdad]

Are there injuries in collegiate athletics...yes there are; but saying they are risking like in limb is a bit much.

 

[usd2bmd]

I still don't think they should be paid. I guess my biggest issue with it is that it all boils down to the fact that they have a choice. How many of the athletes are actually there on some form of scholarship? How are the others making ends meet? Loans? I just think that there are so many kids that are in school busting their buts studying and working and going into debt. But there are athletes that are complaining because they don't have spending money...Welcome to adulthood. How many people graduate to not find a job in their chosen field and not have spending money.

I think the system is screwed up...but paying college athletes is the equivalent of putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. It won't fix the problem it will just make it worse.

So I've read through the entire thread and I haven't seen this mentioned yet.

No one is forcing these kids to play this sport--it is their choice to do it. Some just enjoy the sport that they have grown up loving. A very small few are actually hoping that something pro may come out of it and are using the school to get what they want. If they want that end goal of being pro, then they need to do what they have to do.

I'm in the boat that they *are* getting paid, and paid well (at least the kids that are in the group we are talking about--those kids who are making the university the big bucks). If they aren't going to be grateful for that, then again--no one is forcing them to play the sport. They can go and watch as many movies and go to as many parties as they want when they don't want to follow the rules set forth and get kicked off the team.

I actually did say just that. (see bolded) LOL. that was actually what made me ask the question to begin with. I don't believe that a lot of them feel that way, but even if they do...they still have a choice. Everyone makes choices based on what they want to do in their lives. They could always choose NOT to play and get a job while in college to have spending money or to feed themselves better.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Star athlete so poor he had to steal food.

 

[mom2rtk]

Star athlete so poor he had to steal food.

They must not have served crab at the training table.

 

[tOSU]

They must not have served crab at the training table.

A representative for Winston is claiming that the theft was consensual

 

[EMAW_KSU]

A representative for Winston is claiming that the theft was consensual

Couldn't be proven. Other guys had stolen the same crab legs.

 

[mom2rtk]

A representative for Winston is claiming that the theft was consensual

Couldn't be proven. Other guys had stolen the same crab legs.