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Analysis #1- Paying College Football Players

One of the most frequent conversations in both the sporting world and among the general

commonwealth is the debate of if college athletes should be paid, specifically college football

players. Although this topic is one that is under intense scrutiny, it is a discussion that I believe

deserves both substantial and immediate consideration. I indeed believe that college football

players should be paid and will conduct my analyzation from the participant’s position.

The first subtopic under analysis when deliberating about this is the very apparent time

commitment that comes with college athletics. Whether it is at the Division 1 or Division 2 level,

playing football in college is the equivalent to having a full time job. One of the most underesti-

mated aspects of college athletics is the amount of time per week that each individual sacrifices

in order to wear their school name across their chest. When you factor in film study, training

room treatment, conditioning, weight lifting, practice, and games, each team member can spend

between 25-30 hours a week participating in their craft. One of the biggest reasons I feel that this

should garner more recognition is because it diminishes the opportunity to hold an occupation

that could provide athletes with financial compensation. Although athletic scholarships are cer-

tainly beneficial, not all team members receive the same dollar amount. Furthermore, many of

these athletes come from low-income households, and having your education paid for does not

instantly put food on your table, or clothes on your back.

The next subtopic under analysis is the significant amount of revenue that is generated

from college football, specifically at the Division 1 level. College football has evolved into a bil-

lion dollar business that collects money from ticket sales, jersey sales, television rights, and ulti-

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Crottsmately program success. All of these forms of income are directly correlated to the hard work

and efforts of the players, whom I feel should be be compensated for their efforts. One of the

most troubling aspects of this subtopic is that it is setting an unrealistic precedent for the future

of these athletes. What message are we as a society sending if participants spend countless hours

working hard to achieve success, but only those above them benefit financially. Most workplaces

see their employees as a team and I feel that this mis-prepares them for life outside the lines.

Moreover, only about 1% of college football players will go on to pursue a professional playing

career. This means that 99% of them will be left to find a career outside of athletics. The time

commitment of college football not only means that you have no income during college, but that

you will not have enough time to complete internships which play a vital role in securing an oc-

cupation after college.

A last subtopic that I would like to analyze is the physical risk that college athletes are

subjected to. Although many people feel that a free education and the prospect of a professional

career are compensation enough, neither of these cover the liability of a career ending injury. Ev-

ery institution around the nation does not include insurance that covers certain injuries, leaving

players susceptible to a lifetime of pain and medical bills. A perfect example of this is a situation

I found myself in last Spring. As a member of the Men’s basketball team we are required to par-

ticipate in post-season pick up games with our team. Although this is not a mandatory or regu-

lated practice, all members of the team are involved with the coaches onlooking. During the last

game of the day I was sliding on defense and felt an excruciating pain in my right knee. An MRI

would later confirm that I tore my ACL, Meniscus, sprained my MCL, and dislocated my

kneecap. Even though I was on campus, with my entire team, this activity was not a scheduled

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Crottsschool event which left me having to pay out of pocket. My surgery totaled nearly $20,000.

Luckily my family had the resources to cover this incident, but a situation like mine only leaves

me fearful for those who are not as fortunate. College football is a gruesome sport, and with the

recent revelation of the frequent amount of concussions that occur, I feel that financial compen-

sation is the least the NCAA can do. An organization that makes 6 billion dollars annually.

In conclusion, I most certainly feel that college football players should be financially

compensated for their participation in the sport. These athletes sacrifice their time, energy, and

bodies in an effort to bring growth and success to their college or university. College football

players bring a substantial amount of revenue to their respected campus and put both their physi-

cal and mental health at risk in an effort to do so. I believe the NCAA should further investigate

this prospect and come to some type of financial agreement with its players. I believe that this

decision would not only be in the best interest of the athletes, but of the sport itself.