Essay: Why College Athletes Should Be Paid

The million dollar question; should college athletes be paid? This is an immense debate, but if you were to ask me, I would say yes, college athletes should be paid. There are a plethora of reasons why college athletes should get paid. College athletes should get paid because of the amount of time they put into their sport, the amount of money everyone else is making off of them, and their overall importance to the school. There are a myriad of reasons that people can argue the opposite way, but, the reasons they should get paid definitely outweigh the reasons they shouldn’t get paid. Although college athletes may be on a scholarship that is paying for their education, they also work countless hours on their craft and make millions for their

Success in college sports is believed to improve the application rates and caliber of admitted students at certain universities. When Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie won the Heisman trophy, Boston college's undergraduate admissions went up by 25 points and its average SAT score of admitted freshmen increased by 110 points. College sports add a reputation to the school, and a good reputation obviously makes a difference. This reputation can even draw non-athletes. Many colleges use their athletes as core marketers of the university. For example, if it wasn’t for basketball players, Gonzaga University would need to spend a lot more money on building a name recognition to students not located on the West. Everyone has their own opinion, but mine is that college athletes should be paid. The amount of time they put into their sport, the amount of money everyone else is making off of them, and their overall importance to the school are only three of a myriad of reasons why they should be paid. These athletes are not only students, but employees to their universities. They are a core member of many university’s marketing team. They do not play a sport of leisure, and therefore should be