College Athletes Should Be Paid

It is homecoming weekend at Southeast Missouri State University. Students fill their coolers with drinks and snacks, grab their lawn chairs and start making their way towards the tailgate. Everyone is getting pumped up for the big game. It comes time for the game and the stadium begins to be filled with students and parents ringing their cow bells. As the crowd calms the game starts. Its an intense game between SEMO and our rival. The star player makes the crowd jump out of their shoes as he makes the final touch down winning the homecoming game. Everyone can not stop thinking about how our star player isn’t being paid for bringing our team the big victory.
College Athletes being paid is actually a huge controversy. Many debate that they should

While discussing this topic many forget the main reason for college. Students, including athletes, are going to college to further their education and in the end receive a job. The purpose of college is to gain the training and knowledge for a career that one will pursue in the future. These athletes are students, not professionals. And as said before they are being paid in many other ways other then a salary. Many universities supply their athletes with gyms, free health insurance, transportation, food, equipment, and the most important a free tuition. How much more do these athletes need? College athletes just like any student are still perfecting their skills for the real world. They are not yet ready to be paid a real salary for their doings. Just as an interior design major in college is not yet ready to be paid for her skills. The design major is practicing and perfecting their skills for the real world. The design major will then go out and use those skills gained in college and receive a job. Being a college athlete is just the same. College athletes are still learning and perfecting. Yes, the hours are demanding and the work is as hard as professionals but college athletes are not yet ready. They are still in the learning process. Playing in college will give the athletes what they need to succeed in the professional world, while

There are four main reasons why college athletes should not be paid. The first reason is that college athletic programs cannot afford to pay athletes. Many college athletic programs are already working in the red, why should they pay athletes if they cant afford anything else. Second, most elite college athletes are receiving scholarships plus much more. Including room and board, textbooks, food, insurance, gym equipment, clothing. That isn’t even adding in the additional professional training that many college athletes will receive. Third, that there seems to be no fair way to pay college athletes, or no fair way of deciding which athletes get paid. How does one decide which players will be paid? Or if the extra money is taken to pay the football and basketball players that takes the fund right out of the smaller playing sports. Lastly, that college athletes are students not yet professionals. These athletes are not yet ready to be considered professionals and are still in their training days. Meaning they are not yet ready to be paid. By saying paid, meaning a salary. These athletes are being paid in way more, with a free tuition and no debt after college. Also, a known name in the media, these college athletes have it easy coming out of college, and either going professional or getting a job. Unlike professional athletes, college athletes should not be paid due to lack of funds the