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Sports
May 2O21
COLLEGE ATHLETES RECEIVING PAY FOR PLAY Article by Boaz Kim Graphic by Jack Ververis
In the beginning of April, the U.S. Supreme Being a college athlete can bear a lot of reCourt began hearing arguments for a case that sponsibility. During the day, they are studying will decide whether or not college athletes and working towards their academic success. should get paid. This has been a hot topic in But after that, they have a long hard practice the NCAA world, after a day of and this court appeal school. Athletes “I think the athletes should be get- such as senior is trying to get college athletes to be granted ting paid for the use of their name Cole Best, who some compensation will be attending for their name and and likeness because it is unfair the University likeness. A final de- for athletes to be risking injury and of South Floricision has not been next year for training 4O+ hours a week, generat- da made however. football, feel that This court case is ing profit for their college, and not there should be not deciding if play- get any money for themselves.” some method of ers should be receivpayment for the ing a “salary” but it - Charles Ahl, Senior athletes. would be deciding “I think it is if players should get something that paid for things such as being in video is very fair and necessary because it would games, advertisements, jersey sales, etc. help out the players a lot and mean that play“I think the athletes should be getting paid for the use of their name and likeness because it is unfair for athletes to be risking injury and training 40+ hours a week, generating profit for their college, and not get any money for themselves,” senior Charles Ahl, who will be playing soccer for Stetson next year, said. One might say that colleges do not have the funding to pay all these athletes at their school who are already being given a scholarship and living conditions paid for. However, one statistic shows that on average colleges spend 34.1% of their money on coaching, 14.0% on scholarships, 15.0% on facilities, and 36.9% of what is left is used for any additional funds. “I think if it were to pass, athletes that would be getting paid would be from revenue generating sports, which in my opinion would mainly be men’s basketball and football,” Ahl said. “However, it would still be a big advance for college athletes because it has been a topic of discussion for awhile now, and in my opinion it is unfair to athletes who generate revenue for their schools, get nothing in return.”
ers would not have to be working side jobs for money,” Best said. “For example, if athletes were to receive pay, this would help out players who come from low income families to help pay for any bills back home, also if athletes get injured or don’t go pro in their sport, they would have money saved from college to use.” As of now, based on how the hearings have been going, experts say the Supreme Court will likely be in favor of athletes receiving some form of payment for college athletes’ names and likeness, but the final decision is yet to be announced. “I think that this would definitely increase team morale and encourage players to work even harder because it would add a lot of extra motivation for players to play and practice their hardest,” Best said.
