In today’s world, everyone is looking for their fair cut. One of the biggest disputes regarding the fairness of money is whether athletes in the NCAA should get paid for their labors. With “March Madness” just around the corner, the debate if the players should get paid or not will be buzzing. People argue that if the coaches and everyone behind the scenes are getting their pay check from the player’s successes, it doesn’t seem fair that they never see any of that money. I disagree; these athletes are given so much for doing something that they love. College athletes should not get paid.
Players in the NCAA are given a full ride scholarship for playing basketball. CNN says that the average student comes out of college with $30,000 of debt. The basketball players in the NCAA don’t have to worry about leaving college with any expenses. With the cost of some of these colleges that the students are attending to play basketball, it’s a pretty great deal. Some of the biggest schools that take part in the NCAA are Duke, costing $61,404 a year; Syracuse, costing $57,450 a year; and Madison, costing $30,000 a year. These students are given great opportunities at some of America’s best schools.
Along with the fully paid schooling, the players are given some amazing experiences. They have all paid trips in coach, they stay in 5 star hotels, and all of their meals are paid for. They are basically given free vacations to play a sport they love. In 2008, ESPN reported that there was $5,200,000 spent on team travel. The athletes are experiencing things that most people will never have the money to afford.
One of the biggest countering arguments is how much the coaches get paid. People say that they are making money off of these players and all their hard work. According to USA today, the highest paid coach in the NCAA is Mike Krzyewski from Duke, getting paid $7,233,976 a year. While it seems unfair that these students are not getting paid for their labors, they are getting paid in experience and publicity.
The players wouldn’t have taken on this college basketball career if it wasn’t something that did not want. They are playing the game they love and they are getting so much publicity for it. According to Media Life, an online daily magazine, the NCAA spends $1 billion dollars in ad revenues. Through this, they are getting these player’s names out there for all the NBA scouts. Business Insider stated that players are more likely to go to the NBA after college than after high school. 1.2% of men go pro while playing on a college team, compared to 0.03% of men that go pro after high school.
The players participating in the NCAA tournament are given the opportunity of a life time. All of their schooling is paid, they are given all expenses paid trips in coach seating to some of the nicest hotels, all meals paid. The biggest advantage of all? They are getting publicity for doing the sport that they love. If the players got paid, it would take away from the excitement of “March Madness.” It would basically be the NBA. The NCAA has given these players a lot to help them be successful. They should be thankful for their experiences and look farther beyond a paycheck.
