11 Legitimate Reasons Why NCAA Student-Athletes Deserved To Be Paid So Much More
Former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon (1991-1995), along with 19 other former college football and basketball players, took the popular opinion of every student-athlete who's ever played for the NCAA, and summed it up in this 99-page document.
The debate of whether or not players should be paid when the NCAA is making billions of dollars solely based on their ability and likeness has reached a tipping point, and we finally have a landmark ruling.
This past Friday, US District Judge Claudia Wilken reviewed that document and decided that the NCAA's grounds for not compensating players was not justified, meaning for the first time ever, college athletes will get paid to play.
Sounds pretty sweet, right? Not exactly.
The new ruling also caps payment at $5,000 per season, meaning a college athlete can only rake in $25,000 through their career. Considering the massive TV market and apparel deals the NCAA has in place, that's still an extremely small piece of the pie.
Players want more, and they deserve more. The NCAA is a billion dollar industry and equating that much money to a bachelor's degree, plus some pocket change, still gives us an unfair result.
From the perspective of kids themselves, especially ones who are coming from impoverished areas, a lot of that money would wind up having to go back home to support their families, leaving them with nothing once again.
While the ruling is the right step forward, we could still find a better solution that would make sense for both parties, but in turn, that would mean the NCAA would have to sacrifice a bit of its monopoly.
Arguing that athletes are just amateurs isn't an excuse any more, especially with the kind of revenue rolling around. The risk they put their bodies in should match the money they make. Here are 11 legitimate reasons why student-athletes should be paid more.
NCAA players are considered amateurs despite helping earn more annually than some of America's major sports.
Social Science Research Network
Universities pay head coaches contracts that are comparable to their professional counterparts.
This is a trend that goes on all across the country.
There’s no difference for star players who help their school generate more money with jersey and ticket sales.
Student-athletes are still expected to be upstanding in school, despite their overloaded extracurricular schedule.
Most schools deem it acceptable for student-athletes to miss class for nationally-televised games.
Jadeveon Clowney admitted that getting paid enough in college would have made a difference.
Former UConn star Shabazz Napier said not everyone can see their struggles.
It would make men's college basketball more competitive and, in turn, create even more money.
The NCAA is a monopoly and can afford to do the right thing.
College Athletes Player Association
It will bring back the focus to education.
Top Photo Credit: Getty Images
