Pay to Play

Imagine a six foot six, physically dominant basketball player. One who trains hard every single day with his team. He travels across the country on a weekly basis to play games. Thousands of fans know his name, wear his jersey and cheer his team on. Are you imagining a millionaire NBA player, maybe Lebron James or Kevin Durant? If so, you’re not wrong, but you aren’t thinking of who I’m thinking of. I’m imagining a college basketball player, a player who works as hard as an NBA player, if not harder. The difference- this college basketball player doesn’t get paid a dime, while the NBA player is makin millions yearly.

Former NBA star and UCLA basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who’s considered one of the best NBA players of all time, has made his case for why college athletes should be paid. In an essay to Jacobin Magazine, Abdul-Jabbar used his personal experiences in college to make his case for paying college athletes.

“Despite the hours I put in every day, practicing, learning plays, and traveling around the country to play games, and despite the millions of dollars our team generated for UCLA — I was always too broke to do much but study, practice, and play,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote.

Abdul-Jabbar addressed an issue that has been up for debate for years now — one that’s had such serious arguments, they’ve ended up in court. College athletes have practiced their right to unionize, and have fought for their right to be paid in court, but so far, college athletes are not legally allowed to be paid.

Former Lakers player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke out against NCAA rules keeping athletes from receiving pay.

Although they can’t be paid, they are technically considered employees of their university, and they are legally allowed to negotiate their wages. It only seems fair to me that each college athlete be compensated in some form, outside of their scholarship. I don’t believe paying them millions is the answer, but I think some further form of compensation is necessary. Maybe paying athletes a small wage, or rewarding athletes that are making good grades, with a small sum of money. No money at all seems wrong, but a lot seems wrong as well.

As a whole, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) makes six billion dollars annually according to US News. The NCAA profits off of things like players

’ jerseys, NCAA video games and more. What’s the players’ cut of this six billion? A free scholarship, and that’s it.

Now some would argue that a free scholarship and an opportunity to go pro in their sport is enough compensation. I disagree. These athletes didn’t choose their school for its specific education. They’re here to play. And think about the players that don’t go pro, or that don’t make it to the professional level. They have spent all their life focusing on their sport, and now are left in the dirt. They dedicate nearly all their time and energy playing their sport, then if they can’t play professionally, they’re stuck. These college athletes that don’t play their sport after college lack the education that a normal college student gets. The NCAA is basically offering a free education in return for these kids’ athletic talents, and with that comes the money the NCAA are also making off these players. There’s no possible way that a college basketball player and a regular college student are getting equal education.

Abdul-Jabbar discussed how athletic and academic scholarships to universities are different. If an athlete gets seriously injured, their athletic scholarship can be taken away. He described how players that are suffering serious injuries could make use of the NCAA’s catastrophic injury relief. Although this sounds fair, Abdul-Jabbar goes on to discuss how the policy doesn’t apply unless the medical expenses exceed $90,000, which most do not. If the students medical bill is $80,000, they’re on their own to pay for it. A university can’t expect an athlete to come up with $80,000 on their own.

NCAA President Mark Emmert said that these individuals are not professionals. People come to watch because it’s college sports, with college athletes. If that’s the truth, then why let the NCAA profit so greatly off these “not professionals?” It doesnt make sense to sell tickets and merchandise and pay coaches huge salaries.

Players at Northwestern attempted to unionize earlier last year.

In return for their scholarship, basketball and football players are required to meet minimum GPA requirements, abide by a social conduct code and spend 60-80 hours a week on school and sports. That seems like a lot of work to do to not be paid a single cent. Imagine spending practically four years of your life working incredibly hard, keeping good grades and practicing your sport every single day. It’s like a job, but you aren’t being paid a cent.

The argument that a scholarship is enough makes sense — to a certain extent. College athletes are saving tons of money in the long run, but I can’t say the scholarship is enough. College athletes should at least get more benefits than they’re getting. Abdul-Jabbar should never have had to go hungry, as any student shouldn’t. The scholarship is clearly a large sum of money that these students aren’t having to pay. Regardless, the NCAA should not be able to profit hugely off these players without giving them a cut of the money.

Although I do believe the players aren’t getting the benefits they deserve, I do not believe that they should get paid million dollar contracts or anything like that. The entire system is flawed. I don’t think a scholarship is enough compensation, but signing a contract worth millions or even hundreds of thousands doesn’t seem right as well. Coaches, and other employees at these universities deserve to be paid, but shouldn’t be allowed to profit so greatly off these players without giving the players a cut.