Let’s say we are going to start paying athletes. Where would we start? The issue exists that if we were to pay athletes, would we pay all of them (Gaines 2016)? Would we only pay certain sports or would we allow schools to pick and choose which sports get paid? What about the issue of Title IX, does their need to be equal pay for men and women? Is there going to need to be outside legislation to control the way the money is being spent?
I don’t agree that if one school can pay their athletes then all the school should have to pay their athletes the same amount. By making it a requirement that there is some sort of base pay for all of the athletes, there is an established level of equality that all of the students are getting something out of it. But I don’t see why certain schools can’t use their leverage to attract better players with more monetary compensation. A handsome bunch of schools is already benefiting from their athletics programs more than others, so they should be allowed to distribute the money to their players in whatever way they see fit (2016). I could argue that this places more of the power back in the hand of the players. By paying different amounts based on the school and sport, this creates more competition in college sports and allows students to decide if they’re trying to play the sport for money, passion, or both.
Another added layer is the players should be allowed to use their position and their namesake to their advantage. By that I mean they should be allowed to sell their autographs or even use their autographs in exchange for goods or services with private businesses. “"As a student-athlete, you're not allowed to use your persona to get discounted services” (“Ohio State. . . 2010”). This got some Ohio state players in trouble and suspended from games when they sold their championship rings, jerseys, and awards and received monetary compensation and free tattoo from a local tattoo parlor (2010).
As far as I’m concerned those items and autographs were those players to sell and use. If a school is allowed to print a poster with one of their players on the poster and make a profit off of it without the player seeing a penny from that sale, then what does the player have ownership over if not his own image?
“The [NCAA Bylaw], along with other bylaws, prevents student-athletes from using their own likeness to make money on the side. This is incomprehensible, as people should not be limited to things they can do in their free time.” (Dobosiewicz 2018).
This rule is stepping beyond what the NCAA should have control over. It is fine to limit the players in the things they are doing in direct relation to the school, but if it is something involving the players own likeness then that is what the player, like any other American, has a right to.
Something just doesn't feel right when someone isn’t being paid their worth (Carden 2018). When a player is able to rake in thousands to millions of dollars for some university, why are these players not seeing any return?
Furthermore, if the players are going to continue to not be paid then maybe it would be wise to allow them to continue to act like Student-athletes, and not just athletes. If players like Bryce Love are going to be scolded for missing a media day to attend class then what are these players supposed to do (2018)? It seems like the NCAA isn’t even sure what they want from their athletes. “As the economist, Damon Jones (a Stanford grad) put it on Twitter, ‘You demand professionalism, pay professional salaries’” (2018).
The way I see it, the NCAA has a choice, continue profiting off of the players and cut them a share or allow the players to dive further into their free education and act more like students.
I don’t agree that if one school can pay their athletes then all the school should have to pay their athletes the same amount. By making it a requirement that there is some sort of base pay for all of the athletes, there is an established level of equality that all of the students are getting something out of it. But I don’t see why certain schools can’t use their leverage to attract better players with more monetary compensation. A handsome bunch of schools is already benefiting from their athletics programs more than others, so they should be allowed to distribute the money to their players in whatever way they see fit (2016). I could argue that this places more of the power back in the hand of the players. By paying different amounts based on the school and sport, this creates more competition in college sports and allows students to decide if they’re trying to play the sport for money, passion, or both.
Another added layer is the players should be allowed to use their position and their namesake to their advantage. By that I mean they should be allowed to sell their autographs or even use their autographs in exchange for goods or services with private businesses. “"As a student-athlete, you're not allowed to use your persona to get discounted services” (“Ohio State. . . 2010”). This got some Ohio state players in trouble and suspended from games when they sold their championship rings, jerseys, and awards and received monetary compensation and free tattoo from a local tattoo parlor (2010).
As far as I’m concerned those items and autographs were those players to sell and use. If a school is allowed to print a poster with one of their players on the poster and make a profit off of it without the player seeing a penny from that sale, then what does the player have ownership over if not his own image?
“The [NCAA Bylaw], along with other bylaws, prevents student-athletes from using their own likeness to make money on the side. This is incomprehensible, as people should not be limited to things they can do in their free time.” (Dobosiewicz 2018).
This rule is stepping beyond what the NCAA should have control over. It is fine to limit the players in the things they are doing in direct relation to the school, but if it is something involving the players own likeness then that is what the player, like any other American, has a right to.
Something just doesn't feel right when someone isn’t being paid their worth (Carden 2018). When a player is able to rake in thousands to millions of dollars for some university, why are these players not seeing any return?
Furthermore, if the players are going to continue to not be paid then maybe it would be wise to allow them to continue to act like Student-athletes, and not just athletes. If players like Bryce Love are going to be scolded for missing a media day to attend class then what are these players supposed to do (2018)? It seems like the NCAA isn’t even sure what they want from their athletes. “As the economist, Damon Jones (a Stanford grad) put it on Twitter, ‘You demand professionalism, pay professional salaries’” (2018).
The way I see it, the NCAA has a choice, continue profiting off of the players and cut them a share or allow the players to dive further into their free education and act more like students.
Bibliography
Carden, A. (2018, July 26). College Athletes Are Worth Millions. They Should Be Paid Like It. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/artcarden/2018/07/26/college-athletes-are-worth-millions-they-should-be-paid-like-it/#13d71400452e
Dobosiewicz, C. (2018, April 26). Paying players: Names, likeness, and pictures. The NCAA owns them all. Retrieved from https://www.purdueexponent.org/sports/article_d2039a14-6f89-51b1-9fdd-7ec06eeeab55.html
Gaines, C. (2016, October 14). The difference in how much money schools make off of college sports is jarring, and it is the biggest obstacle to paying athletes. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/ncaa-schools-college-sports-revenue-2016-10
Ohio State football players sanctioned. (2010, December 26). Retrieved from http://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=5950873
Dobosiewicz, C. (2018, April 26). Paying players: Names, likeness, and pictures. The NCAA owns them all. Retrieved from https://www.purdueexponent.org/sports/article_d2039a14-6f89-51b1-9fdd-7ec06eeeab55.html
Gaines, C. (2016, October 14). The difference in how much money schools make off of college sports is jarring, and it is the biggest obstacle to paying athletes. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/ncaa-schools-college-sports-revenue-2016-10
Ohio State football players sanctioned. (2010, December 26). Retrieved from http://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=5950873