College Athletes Should Be Compensated

Everything has its proper place. There is really no need to emphasize academics in the N.C.A.A. tournament, except to use the athletes, yet again, as a vehicle for college administrators to make a public relations statement. Similarly, there is no need for athletics to be emphasized in the classroom or the library.

This is a basketball tournament, nothing less, and nothing more. Academics and graduation should be emphasized in their proper place, on campus; not on the basketball court. Players are athletes on the court and students in the classroom. If any student, including an athlete, is not meeting university standards, the university should deal with the issue.

The N.C.A.A. states clearly that athletes are to be like any other student. Yet the association involves the athlete in such a heavily commercialized, multibillion dollar endeavor, that it ends up restricting the athlete from any college benefit beyond a scholarship. No other person within a university community is so restricted. Amateurism provides no benefit to the athlete, neither enhancing his education nor making him a better person. The Olympics began taking amateurism out of its charter in the 1970s, yet the N.C.A.A. holds onto it as a cherished ideal. Money is not the problem in college sports. The problem is that the athlete is restricted from making any.

It is not immoral for the N.C.A.A. to make money off of athletics. But it is profoundly immoral for the N.C.A.A. to restrict athletes from receiving compensation while everyone else profits. Athletes do not need to be paid by the university as employees. But barriers to athlete compensation outside of the university should be removed. There is a lot of area in between strict amateurism and “pay for play.” Athletes should be allowed to operate freely in that area, just like every other student.

The education of every student is important. It should be emphasized every day, on campus, for the benefit of every student, including athletes.

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