Throughout the sports world, college athletics is praised for promoting the best in sportsmanship and "innocence" that is lost in the money charged world of professional sports. But revenue producing sports like Football and Men's Basketball are huge money makers for Universities throughout the country. The exposure that these teams provide drives merchandise sales and even raises the number of high school kids who apply to those schools. But with millions and millions being made off them, none of these student athletes see any type of compensation even though their jerseys are being sold for 60-70 dollars a pop. In my speech, I will propose that college athletes from revenue producing sports should be paid for their efforts on the field or the court. They deserve to be compensated in some way because some of them make more money for the school, than the schools education could ever provide them during their life. This has been an incredibly controversial topic in the sports world and it is one that needs to be resolved. These athletes (oh sorry Student Athletes) need to be paid with more than just a scholarship.
Image: Orlando Sentinel
That sounds really interesting. I had never thought that athletes should receive more benefits than they currently do already. Yet, in light of the vast amount of revenue they bring to the school in ticket sales, jerseys, memorabilia, you've brought up a really interesting debate man.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic! Along those lines, when Reggie Bush took all those freebies from USC when he was being recruited, perhaps knowing that he was going to be compensated on the field would have helped him resist at that time and not lose his trophy later down the road.
ReplyDeleteThis should be really interesting because getting a free education is a pretty big deal already, and personally I think it's more than enough compensation. I never did think about all the revenue from jerseys, etc., though. Looking forward to this!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who closely follows college athletics, I'm extremely interested in this topic. I am on the fence about this specific subject but have always leaned towards the view that student athletes should not be payed. I can probably be convinced to join the other side and believe your that the scholarship isn't enough. Some topics you might want to address: Whether or not it will further separate competitive teams from basement dwellers (teams with higher revenue can simply pay their players more), Even if the pay is somehow regulated who can and cannot give them gifts, and how this would destroy a financially insolvent athletics department.
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