Home Pro The Drumbeat for Pay for Play Grows Louder

The Drumbeat for Pay for Play Grows Louder

8

It seems that everywhere a person looks these days for sports news the issue of whether or not NCAA Division I football and men’s basketball players should be paid for their services is constantly in the news.  The calls to pay these players increase every time there is news of another scandal involving high profile NCAA programs.

Connecticut won the men’s Division I basketball championship just the other night.  School administrators earlier this season self-imposed penalties on its men’s program for several major rules violations involving the recruitment of a player who enrolled at UConn but was dismissed before ever playing in a game.  One of the penalties involves a 3 game suspension at the beginning of next season for Coach Jim Calhoun.  The player involved just went on a radio sports talk show and revealed that he had been paid money by boosters and claimed that the head coach knew about it at the time.

Two articles recently appeared that take a somewhat new look at this problem.  One appeared in a blog called Bleacher Report.  The other is a piece that appeared on Bloomberg News.  The former article looks at whether or not even a modest attempt to increase the value of athletic scholarships would result in a “haves and have nots” situation similar to that of the NBA, where a few superstar free agents tend to sign with a few teams and the competitive gap between the elite and also ran teams seems to be getting wider.

The second article reports on remarks recently made by NCAA president, Mark Emmert, who has begun talking about the need for some kind of increase in the value of an athletic scholarship.

Many people now believe that change in the makeup of college scholarships for athletes is inevitable.  No matter what side of the debate you are on this is probably the single most important issue currently confronting the leaders of college athletics in this country.

To read these articles in their entirety click on the following links:

The role of ethics in sport management and administration is an area of focus for all students at the United States Sports Academy. The first course taken by bachelor and master degree students is a course in contemporary issues in sports.  For more information on Academy programs go to http:www.ussa.edu.

8 COMMENTS

  1. I believe student athletes at the collegiate level, especially those who receive full scholarships are paid.  Not only do they have an opportunity to earn a degree (and in many cases a graduate degree), there is also the opportunity to gain experiences and connections not available to other students.  Having said this, I do believe this is something the NCAA should continuously study.  Factors such as cost of living should be monitored and taken into consideration. 

  2. I believe student athletes at the collegiate level, especially those who receive full scholarships are paid.  Not only do they have an opportunity to earn a degree (and in many cases a graduate degree), there is also the opportunity to gain experiences and connections not available to other students.  Having said this, I do believe this is something the NCAA should continuously study.  Factors such as cost of living should be monitored and taken into consideration. 

  3. Players at the collegiate level are
    “student-athletes,” they are given scholarships which are a source of
    being paid. The ultimate reward for all their hard work and efforts on and off
    the playing field, is receiving their diploma. There are many other ways that
    college athletes can get money. There are work study jobs that are flexible
    with class and practice schedules. Those who qualify for Pell grant, usually
    get the full amount back since they are on a full ride. Having the ability to
    continue on with a collegiate career is a privilege not a luxury. As a
    collegiate player during my college stint, having the ability to go to school
    for free on a full scholarship was the ultimate pay out were going to school
    for free and my parents not having to worry about paying for my school. When kids get full
    rides, everything is covered from books and food, to want money for anything
    else is extra and nine times out of ten unnecessary.

  4. Players at the collegiate level are
    “student-athletes,” they are given scholarships which are a source of
    being paid. The ultimate reward for all their hard work and efforts on and off
    the playing field, is receiving their diploma. There are many other ways that
    college athletes can get money. There are work study jobs that are flexible
    with class and practice schedules. Those who qualify for Pell grant, usually
    get the full amount back since they are on a full ride. Having the ability to
    continue on with a collegiate career is a privilege not a luxury. As a
    collegiate player during my college stint, having the ability to go to school
    for free on a full scholarship was the ultimate pay out were going to school
    for free and my parents not having to worry about paying for my school. When kids get full
    rides, everything is covered from books and food, to want money for anything
    else is extra and nine times out of ten unnecessary.

  5. I feel that athletes are already being paid for their services by getting their sschool paid for. When you don’t have to worry about student loans later on in life, that is money back in your pocket. Some students on academic scholarhips have to maintain a certain GPA to keep that particular scholarship and have to devote more time and effort in that area so why should it be any different for an athlete. You know what you get into when you sign up for something. Now if the concern is that an athlete can’t get a job because of the time and effort they pput into their sport then maybe a small stipend can be given or grant to help with expenses but nothing much more than that. The school pays for your education just to make them look good just like they do the smart students and your effort must be given to keep that. Their talents are kind of in the public eye but their status should remain the same, a student like the rest. They may just be looking to become a professional athlete instead of a business professional. Like anyone else, when it is all said and done, they can make that professional money when they graduate.

  6. I feel that athletes are already being paid for their services by getting their sschool paid for. When you don’t have to worry about student loans later on in life, that is money back in your pocket. Some students on academic scholarhips have to maintain a certain GPA to keep that particular scholarship and have to devote more time and effort in that area so why should it be any different for an athlete. You know what you get into when you sign up for something. Now if the concern is that an athlete can’t get a job because of the time and effort they pput into their sport then maybe a small stipend can be given or grant to help with expenses but nothing much more than that. The school pays for your education just to make them look good just like they do the smart students and your effort must be given to keep that. Their talents are kind of in the public eye but their status should remain the same, a student like the rest. They may just be looking to become a professional athlete instead of a business professional. Like anyone else, when it is all said and done, they can make that professional money when they graduate.

  7. The second article reports on remarks recently made by NCAA president,
    Mark Emmert, who has begun talking about the need for some kind of
    increase in the value of an athletic scholarship.

  8. The second article reports on remarks recently made by NCAA president,
    Mark Emmert, who has begun talking about the need for some kind of
    increase in the value of an athletic scholarship.

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