Should Division One Male College Athletes be paid?

[MechaBlade]

Yes. They should be paid in scholarship money. Just under the amount that students in my major should be getting at my school.

I wish.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[NemoAlia]

The (male) athletes at my school all get lots of cash (like $50-$500) stuffed into their lockers by anonymous donors after each game. People give them money! They're already the most conspicuous consumers on campus. Do they really need more money?

It's certainly not a question of compensating them for all their time and effort, or music majors would get paid far more.

 

[Private Vasquez]

That figure was for my school, where the cost-of-living is not exactly low. This town is friggin' expensive to live in. The cheapest apartment near campus costs $485/month (I have searched for a cheaper one, believe me). One could move a little farther from campus and pay as low as $300, but you end up pretty far away from campus to get that low. I don't have a car, I must live near campus. I pay $520/month rent, my scholarship stipend gives me $600. Is that enough?
Because the school makes money from me, I feel as though I should be entitled to a little bit of it. Every t-shirt, hat, mug, toy, jacket, etc. that has my team's name on it is sold because of me and my team mates. Why shouldn't we be entitled to some of that?

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Calamity Jane]

That figure was for my school, where the cost-of-living is not exactly low. This town is friggin' expensive to live in. The cheapest apartment near campus costs $485/month (I have searched for a cheaper one, believe me). One could move a little farther from campus and pay as low as $300, but you end up pretty far away from campus to get that low. I don't have a car, I must live near campus. I pay $520/month rent, my scholarship stipend gives me $600. Is that enough?
Because the school makes money from me, I feel as though I should be entitled to a little bit of it. Every t-shirt, hat, mug, toy, jacket, etc. that has my team's name on it is sold because of me and my team mates. Why shouldn't we be entitled to some of that?

When I was in college, I lived in an apartment that was $480 a month. And it wasn't a great apartment. I was on an educational scholarship that covered my tuition.

I still had to buy my books, and pay my rent, and I wasn't given any sort of stipend. I took 19 hours per semester, and worked two full-time jobs.

I have no problem with changing the NCAA rules and allowing scholarship athletes to have jobs. I do have problems with them being considered so elite and special that they not only get a free education, but get paid to grace the playing fields with their presence.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Private Vasquez]

My apartment borders on crap. the floor on one side is sinking in, and the ceiling leaks. It's extravagant . It's a two bedroom joint, and my roommate (who is not an athlete) split rent. I pay a bit more, because she splits her time between here and her parent's house (she pays $480). Our landlord uses the basement of this building to store his Mercedes (that's plural). While he responds to complaints we have, he does as little as possible to fix them. It's a roof over my head, which is all I need. I don't live in the lap of luxury. I'm sure some of the athletes here do...and they get handouts from boosters and such, which is against NCAA rules for them to do. I'm not in a big-money sport, but my teammates and I (I compete in two sports) do make plenty of money for this University.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[tigerjen]

NO WAY

because if they get paid for playing in a Div. I sport while
in college, they will be spoiled.....and if they decide to make
a pro career out of their sport (football, basketball, baseball)
they'll be getting paid anyway when they make it to
the pros, which in my opinion, pay WAY too much money.

Plus in my opinion, with the recent wave over the past few
years of college players going into the NBA before their
4 years are up is not right.....they should finish their
education FIRST, then worry about getting drafted.
One can't play b-ball forever......one needs something
to fall back on, whether it be business or education or
whatever field they are majoring in.

So, my answer is NO WAY to payment of male athletes
in Div. 1 sports........also not fair to the women, which
are getting more popular each year (take UConn women
b-ball team for example....their games sell out!).

tigerjen

 

[Weevil]

Re: NO WAY

If I may dissect this argument with my socrates-like wisdom; This whole argument boils down to your thoughts on two basic questions.

First Should we encourage the Kobe Bryants, Tracy McGradys and Kevin Garnetts of the world to play NCAA basketball? Is the NCAA worse off with their absence? If you think Kobe should have gone to school, then why not pay him? Give him incentive. Look at what a High School basketball player looks at when he sees the NCAA, an organization that would make billions on his back but is so committed to the idea of "amateurism" that they won't let him work at KFC. Compare that to leaping to the NBA and making millions for yourself. I've always thought that if you made money for someone else then you should get a piece. As to the question, I would prefer if everyone who wasn't a committed student chose the NBA over College. University shouldn't be about TV contracts. But let's be fair, it's not right to expect these kids to come into school, bust their ass in the class and on the court, make millions of dollars for a school and get no cash in return.

Now to address Tigerjen's post in part because it's so obnoxious and in part because she raises some questions others have been asking.

1) Just to get it out of the way, the reason that this would only(or at least mostly) apply to male athletes is because their is no particularly valid reason to apply it to women's athletics. The NCAA just signed a 6 billion dollar TV contract on men's basketball, Big football programs can draw up to 100,000 fans a game. If you were to offer the incentive to players, it would be to players who are a) in a program that generates revenue for their school and b) have the option of turning pro. Whether or not Ken Dorsey or Jared Jeffries returns to school could have a huge financial impact on Miami and Indiana. Put it this way, you give a huge bonus to a CEO that could leave for another company, you don't spend a lot of money trying to keep entry level people around.

2) I have to wonder if you know anything at all about playing sports. "If" they choose to pursue it as a career? "When" they make it to the pros? If these players are blessed with the skills to do so and have the drive and determination to make it happen then a lucky 1% of them will make it to the NBA or NFL and make lots of money. 99% will never taste that pot of gold and should take part in it the pot of gold they're building. You don't say to someone "Well you can work here but we won't pay you, we figure you'll learn the job here and then make millions somewhere else" you pay them now for what they're doing.

3) Who are you to decide what is right for someone elses life? They are individuals who are allowed to do as they like. If they have the skills for which there is such a high demand(playing NBA basketball) then what kind of person would tell them that they're not allowed to?I know I wouldn't stand for someone else telling me when I could or could not leave college. Maybe they don't seem like it to you but athletes are human beings with the rights that we enjoy.

 

[tigerjen]

weevil...i respect your opinion but

I believe that a college degree is more worthwhile to earn,
then if they want to, go into the draft for whatever sport
they choose.

tigerjen

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[Weevil]

Re: weevil...i respect your opinion but

I believe that a college degree is more worthwhile to earn,
then if they want to, go into the draft for whatever sport
they choose.

Which is fine and good. I hope you apply your beliefs to your life in that manner. But don't tread on me.

 

[tigerjen]

I'm not pushing anything on anyone

Which is fine and good. I hope you apply your
beliefs to your life in that manner. But don't
tread on me.

I have a right to my opinion as anyone else here on
this thread, Weevil.........I respect your opinion but
don't necessarily agree with some of the points made.
Opinions are made and are meant to be either
agreed or disagreed upon......and in this case, I
disagree.

I do have a college degree, BTW.

Case closed.

tigerjen

 

[Weevil]

Weevil, your argument is convincing in many respects, HOWEVER-

If a talent is capable of making the NBA or NHL, or whatever you're talking about-then they don't need the education they have the talent. However, if they do not have the talent -then they should pursue an education-how do you differentiate between the two?


how would a guy know, coming straight out of HS, that he's capable of making the NBA, NFL, NHL, or whatever? He needs the exposure that a college can give him, unless he's really fucking phenomenal. In which case, there's no incentive for him to BE at school-unless he injures himself.

Not true at all. There is value in an education, for anyone. Vince Carter, who is a phenomenal talent, went to school and then left for the NBA. He still felt strongly enough about his education to complete his diploma. Listen, the one thing I'm proudest of in my life isn't a Provincial Silver Medal in hockey, it's my Degree, but it's not for everyone. It worked for me it might not work for Kobe Bryant. College is a great time, and not just for what you learn in the classroom. There's reasons for everyone to go, but there's valid reasons not to as well.

Second, you're right not everyone will know that straght out of High School(Well, most of them will nowadays) and will need to apprentice themselves at college. but once they think they can make it in the NBA then they should decide what they want to do in their own lives.

 

[Weevil]

Re: I'm not pushing anything on anyone

I have a right to my opinion as anyone else here on
this thread, Weevil.........I respect your opinion but
don't necessarily agree with some of the points made.
Opinions are made and are meant to be either
agreed or disagreed upon......and in this case, I
disagree.

I do have a college degree, BTW.

Case closed.

tigerjen

Well, not case closed actually. What don't you agree with of the points I made? That Athletes are human beings? That they should be allowed to choose what's right for their own lives?

You have the right to your opinion and it seems as if you want to exercise that right without taking a single minute to look at the issues. Opinions are meaningless if they're ignorant.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[riff]

Many are. Especially in Alabama or so I hear.

 

[Weevil]

Yes, but that's not sufficient reason to take that funding away from the school. Not when those students are recieving the double benefit for grooming in their sport-AND and education.

Except, that what we're seeing now is that many basketball players who would contribute to the program that generates revenue for the schools(I said it before and I'll say it again 6 billion dollars) are deciding that they don't really need the experience of college. Other new developments(The willingness of the league to draft high schoolers, The NBA developmental league) are taking Athletes away from the schools. If these trends continue that 6 billion dollar figure will drop and schools will be hurt.

It might be a sound investment to maintain the level of College basketball so schools are sound for money.

 

[tigerjen]

rebuttal

Well, not case closed actually. What don't you agree with of the
points I made? That Athletes are human beings? That they should
be allowed to choose what's right for their own lives?
You have the right to your opinion and it seems as if you want to
exercise that right without taking a single minute to look at the
issues. Opinions are meaningless if they're ignorant.

Weevil...
I just reread what you said a few posts back......Of course
athletes are human and decide what they want, as they have
that right......but let's say that they are on scholarship for
whatever sport they are participating in, and keep up their
grades (certain GPA), then if they want to go into the draft
early before finishing school, then I can accept that for a reason
to jump into the pros early.

tigerjen

 

[Weevil]

Re: rebuttal

Weevil...
I just reread what you said a few posts back......Of course
athletes are human and decide what they want, as they have
that right......but let's say that they are on scholarship for
whatever sport they are participating in, and keep up their
grades (certain GPA), then if they want to go into the draft
early before finishing school, then I can accept that for a reason
to jump into the pros early.

I know it seems like I'm hammering this issue home to the point of absurdity but it's not for you to accept anything. They can do as they please in regards to themselves. If they don't keep certain grades then, as I said, they shouldn't be in college. They should have went to the pros from high school.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[tigerjen]

I know it seems like I'm hammering this issue home to the point of absurdity but it's not for you to accept anything. They can do as they please in regards to themselves. If they don't keep certain grades then, as I said, they shouldn't be in college. They should have went to the pros from high school.

To each their own opinion.......case closed.

 

[Weevil]

By that thinking, any student working on research for their professor should jump at the opportunity to be in a think tank and skip the education as well...

If they think it's better for their life then why not. It makes no real difference to my life what they do.

Also it's not exactly the same. The University offers cash to TA's doing research for their professor.