By Ranard Thomas Jr., NSU Student

When it comes to collegiate sports, whether or not athletes should be paid has been argued over the past few years. Many have claimed that college athletes receive enough compensation through scholarships and other financial assistance. However, others believe universities are making a substantial amount of money due to players bringing in revenue. College athletes should be paid because of the profit they bring to schools.

According to Flory, Will Ofenheusle, a former offensive lineman for the University of Tennessee, college athletes should be paid in some form. He said, “I think college athletes should be compensated in some way, even though its amateur athletics, just due to how much money the school is making off of the players.” For example, in 2014, the NCAA generated $989 million in revenue. More than 80% of this revenue is related to ‘March Madness,’ a popular men’s collegiate basketball tournament. This is evidence of how much profit universities make from the players.

In addition, financial advisor David Moon said, “They should either get a share of the revenues generated, or they should be represented by counsel when they sign a letter of intent or a scholarship agreement to play for a certain school.” He basically argued the idea that players are discussing a negotiation where they are not represented. Meaning that the players are sitting down to negotiate a topic in which a task is requested in hopes of bringing in more revenue. Hence, college scouts searching for prospects to bring to their program. He compared this to a divorce when he said, “We would never let someone go through a divorce with those odds stacked against them.”

A nationwide debate has grown in recent years as to whether college athletes should be paid for their athletic performance. Those who oppose paying college athletes for sports often argue that doing so would damage dilute the meaning of college sports. Many may include that they are already compensated suggesting that most earn scholarships that covers their tuition, housing, and textbooks. However, athletes have said that although those things are covered, they still have out-of-pocket things to pay for that they don’t always have. For example, Hamza Abdullah, a football player at Washington State, once participated in a hashtag on twitter that said: “Broke College Athlete Anything Helps.” In one of his tweets, he explained how he had to clean the carpets of fraternity and sorority houses to pay for food and gas. Also, he said, “I needed government assistance to pay my light bill.” This proves that even though athletes receive scholarships, they still need money.

On the other hand, it has been stated that professional athletes already make a ridiculous amount of money and the idea that we are hearing arguments that college athletes deserve to be compensated is insane. According to Nick Menegas, a college scholarship is a sweet, sweet deal. He argues that their tuition, room and board, fees, and books is being covered all because they can run, jump, throw, shoot, pitch, or catch. He also stated that professional football is currently on his disgust list because of millionaires battling millionaires for more millions. He believes paying college athletes would dilute the sensation behind college sports. Menegas also argues that not paying college athletes would prevent athletes from blowing their money once they actually do start getting paid. He said, “My point is, if it is easily given, it is as easily spent or blown. If earned by your own sweat, the dollars are spent much more wisely.”

College athletes should be compensated for their athletic performance. Universities bring to too much money because of players and those same players struggle with the same financial problems as others. To say that they put so much work in on the fields and courts, and they make so much money for their schools, it’s a shame that those same players can’t even get some of the money that they help generate.