[HawksRule]

I got to thinking of the arguement people have on the topic.
In my eyes the athletes are getting paid they get a 30 thousand dollar school for free. Unlike some of us who barely can dribble a basketball, and either pay or draw a loan. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[Strikeout King]

No, if there good enough they'll get a scholarship to play at a school for free. if they got paid, then schools would be losing money instead of making money

[LWC]

This question is one of the hardest to answer.

I have always believed that it is very hard for the NCAA to determine HOW to pay the athletes if they ever did.
Do you have a flat sum of money that you provide them?
Do you evenly divide the money to schools to give out as "extra scholarship" for the student to use?

What about players like Tim Tebow and players like Dickie Lyons? Would they recieve different sums of money? If so, how do you prevent NCAA football from turning into a money grab where athletes forget the game and try for personal accolades or money? Would the same thing happen if it was based on jersey sales or personal accolades like the Heisman?

Do you give contracts? A player has a maximum of 4 playing years, basically. Do you give them a set amount of money per game? Do they sign a contract at the beginning and get a set amount over the 4 years? Can they have multiple contracts during their tenure? Can they sign 2, 2-year contracts? 1, 1-year and 1 3-year? Would a player be bound to their contract? Could they still declare for the draft and leave, or would they have to buy out their own contracts?

What about the different sports, like water polo, tennis, etc... Do they get a certain pay scale?

SOOOO many questions about HOW to do it, much less should they do it. That is why I have never thought too hard about whether or not they should get paid.

[MVP2]

No, if there good enough they'll get a scholarship to play at a school for free. if they got paid, then schools would be losing money instead of making money

:Thumbs: I agree with you SOK. The student athletes are already getting paid for their free education by scholarship. If they want to get paid to play the game go to the league in 2 years. No, college athletes should not be paid while in college.

[Beetle01]

Its not even feasible. Anyone who argues for it needs to look at college athletics as a whole and realize it would put an end to a lot of athletic teams around the country. First off only 14 Athletic Departments in the country are even profitable. Due to Title IX, a lot of AD's have been hurt financially.

Secondly, if you pay one, you have to pay them all. So even if you do decide to give a percentage of profits to the players, once its spread out Id be surprised if it amounted to anything substantial. Probably like 10 bucks or something. However, you will be taking money away from AD's that are barely getting by anyways.

[sstack]

They are getting an education which is priceless and should be payed nothing else. If they do not see the value of higher education and just want to be paid, they should go else where.

[HossDawg]

NO. Absolutely not!

[Stardust]

Are we talking about a Football or Basketball player???? Sure, these programs bring in MILLIONS of dollars, but does that mean these kids are being taken advantage of?

At a good division 1 program, they are compensated with more monetary value than mast anyone who is posting on this website. And it goes well beyond their education. The live in secluded dorms. They each have a tutor. They eat better meals than probably anyone of us. They have personal trainers. Plus, they are given a stipend. What else should they get?

Now, if we are talking about the player on the Golf team, who is still getting his education paid for, he does not get the benefits that the basketball players would get with the personal trainer, tutor, or the dorm all by himself. So, should he be compensated?

So, if we have still decided to pay, then we have to pay them the same. So, what are you going to give the football and basketball player, $1K a month? If you do so, you have to give ever single athlete that participates for that school the exact same amount.

People get hung up on the money that the football and basketball program make and feel that money should be shared with the athletes who make it. But does everyone know that every singe sport besides those two LOSE money. That money that is made from football and basketball pays the way for every single sport in the school. Can anyone fathom how much money it costs the school to send UK's baseball team all over the midwest to play baseball? Well is costs a **** of alot more money than the measly ticket sales they have at their home games. So, UK Baseball has the Basketball program to thank, while the Basketball players are living a much better life.

So, my answer is, they are paid enough already.

[Ballers]

Of course they should..
Look at Cam Newton, if he wasn't paid..
He wouldn't had played

[sstack]

Are we talking about a Football or Basketball player???? Sure, these programs bring in MILLIONS of dollars, but does that mean these kids are being taken advantage of?

At a good division 1 program, they are compensated with more monetary value than mast anyone who is posting on this website. And it goes well beyond their education. The live in secluded dorms. They each have a tutor. They eat better meals than probably anyone of us. They have personal trainers. Plus, they are given a stipend. What else should they get?

Now, if we are talking about the player on the Golf team, who is still getting his education paid for, he does not get the benefits that the basketball players would get with the personal trainer, tutor, or the dorm all by himself. So, should he be compensated?

So, if we have still decided to pay, then we have to pay them the same. So, what are you going to give the football and basketball player, $1K a month? If you do so, you have to give ever single athlete that participates for that school the exact same amount.

People get hung up on the money that the football and basketball program make and feel that money should be shared with the athletes who make it. But does everyone know that every singe sport besides those two LOSE money. That money that is made from football and basketball pays the way for every single sport in the school. Can anyone fathom how much money it costs the school to send UK's baseball team all over the midwest to play baseball? Well is costs a **** of alot more money than the measly ticket sales they have at their home games. So, UK Baseball has the Basketball program to thank, while the Basketball players are living a much better life.

So, my answer is, they are paid enough already.

Actually all athletes at UK (I ran track there) get tutors,and special help with classes (papers typed for them, class notes taken for them, special study guides, ect.). They do not get their own dorms or special food however, like football and basketball players do and they did get excellent meals (steak, shrimp ect.).

[crazytaxidriver]

Absolutely not. What happens if you do? The next thing you know high schools will be getting in on the deal. In my opinion it will take away the very reason I still like high school and college sports. Because most athletes are working hard to try to eventually get paid for doingsomething they love. Med students don't get doctor salaries until they graduate. College is what trains you for the pros. In all aspects and majors. If you get paid to learn your craft then what's the point of trying hard?

[Stardust]

Actually all athletes at UK (I ran track there) get tutors,and special help with classes (papers typed for them, class notes taken for them, special study guides, ect.). They do not get their own dorms or special food however, like football and basketball players do and they did get excellent meals (steak, shrimp ect.).

C'mon sstack, it was just an example :biggrin:

Seriously though, UK is one extreme, I have a friend who play's football at Morehead, umm, he does not get the favorable treatment.

And if you are going to pay them, then you have to pay them the exact same amount at all levels, so let's see how easy it is to pay a football player at Pikeville the same $1,000 per month they do at UK!

[Aslan]

The universities make a ton of money off the athletes, but like dust said, there compensated well, so no.

[HawksRule]

Everybody agrees besides ballers, but he has a Kyle Singler picture so he don't count.

[Aslan]

Everybody agrees besides ballers, but he has a Kyle Singler picture so he don't count.

I think the avatar suits him.

[Amun-Ra]

I am going to disagree with most on here. I think they should get some kind of weekly allowance. Yes I know they get school paid for and free dorms and special tutors but kids on academic schollys can get those too. But there is one huge difference there. Kids on full athletic schollys, like the players at UK, can not have jobs. They can not go and work anywhere. They are still kids and kids like to go to the movies and buy things. I think weekly allowances comparable to minimum wage jobs would be fine. Make it a standard rate that all schools have to follow. But thinking about it, I am sure some schools will bend the rules.

[goscots56]

They do get paid.

It's called:

Full tuition
Room and Board
All meals
Clothing Allowance
Free team gear
BOOKS
And then serious bowl money (football) and whatever other serious perks other sports get in their championship seasons

[TidesHoss32]

I dont think they should be paid a salary, HOWEVER, I dont think they should be punished for accepting gifts from boosters. If they get cars and money from boosters, whats the problem?? I also believe the NCAA should butt out if a kid wants to work and earn a little money as well. The NCAA is a communist ruler over college athletics, and Im all for "less government" when it comes to that.

[Amun-Ra]

Money or gifts from boosters? No. I hope that was sarcasm. Schools with the wealthiest boosters would pull in the best players. Where would it stop?

[vundy33]

Amun-Ra, that's not plausible, go read Dusty's post again.

I agree with everyone else here. They get enough already.

[Stardust]

I am going to disagree with most on here. I think they should get some kind of weekly allowance. Yes I know they get school paid for and free dorms and special tutors but kids on academic schollys can get those too. But there is one huge difference there. Kids on full athletic schollys, like the players at UK, can not have jobs. They can not go and work anywhere. They are still kids and kids like to go to the movies and buy things. I think weekly allowances comparable to minimum wage jobs would be fine. Make it a standard rate that all schools have to follow. But thinking about it, I am sure some schools will bend the rules.

So, how can Pikeville college, where the college loses money on sports (as a matter of debate, over 50% of all D1 schools lose money on sports), hod do you pay those kids?

A school like UK can make as much as $12M on sports (Basketball and Football make close to $40M, and then pay for every other sport at the school that ALL lose money), where a school like Mississippi State loses money, which obviously means they cannot pay a single dime more for posts, much less pay every single player in their athletic programs.

[Ballers]

All jokes aside..
I agree with the noobie.

They do get paid.

It's called:

Full tuition
Room and Board
All meals
Clothing Allowance
Free team gear
BOOKS
And then serious bowl money (football) and whatever other serious perks other sports get in their championship seasons.

The athletes in college have it made.. They are on TV nationally and recieve admiration from a lot of people, that itself is payment in my eyes just to be admired by the fans.

[theVILLE]

IMO the top recruits get paid anyway!

[foxtrot1]

College athletes who recieve scholarships( not all do) are in a sense being paid. However when you take a closer look at it, your view may change. Obviously someone good enough to play any college sport is naturally talented, but they have also put in many years of hard work and dedication to earn that scholarship. In my mind that is no different than a student studying there tail off and earning an academic scholarship. The same principles apply. Now, do regular students in college have an opportunity to work on the side and make money? Yes they do. Do college athletes have the opportunity to work and make money on the side? In most cases No.

Now Im not an advocate for college athletes to make tons of money, but maybe a monthly stipend of a few hundred bucks would help. Between class, meetings, study hall, practice, weightroom, and film; these kids don't have time to work. The NCAA benefits and profits off it's athletes like no other institution. I believe the problem with the NCAA is much deeper than rather or not athletes should be paid, but you have to start somewhere!

[crazytaxidriver]

College athletes who recieve scholarships( not all do) are in a sense being paid. However when you take a closer look at it, your view may change. Obviously someone good enough to play any college sport is naturally talented, but they have also put in many years of hard work and dedication to earn that scholarship. In my mind that is no different than a student studying there tail off and earning an academic scholarship. The same principles apply. Now, do regular students in college have an opportunity to work on the side and make money? Yes they do. Do college athletes have the opportunity to work and make money on the side? In most cases No.

Now Im not an advocate for college athletes to make tons of money, but maybe a monthly stipend of a few hundred bucks would help. Between class, meetings, study hall, practice, weightroom, and film; these kids don't have time to work. The NCAA benefits and profits off it's athletes like no other institution. I believe the problem with the NCAA is much deeper than rather or not athletes should be paid, but you have to start somewhere!

I can't whole heartedly agree with the bolded.. The only thing most have worked on is their skill. And if practicing is considered work, then most of these athletes are in for a big surprise.

I personally would like to know what kind of classes your big time athletes actually have to take. Because with the exception of a few most athletes get by because they are gifted. Sure this is speculation in some eyes, but how many people on here know someone that could barely spell their name but graduate with proficient writings..

On top of that to be allowed to play you have to maintain what?, a 2.5 gpa?? I'm not sure on that one but i know it isn't really high. and to maintain that taking gen ed classes isn't really that hard to do.

[foxtrot1]

I can't whole heartedly agree with the bolded.. The only thing most have worked on is their skill. And if practicing is considered work, then most of these athletes are in for a big surprise.

I personally would like to know what kind of classes your big time athletes actually have to take. Because with the exception of a few most athletes get by because they are gifted. Sure this is speculation in some eyes, but how many people on here know someone that could barely spell their name but graduate with proficient writings..

On top of that to be allowed to play you have to maintain what?, a 2.5 gpa?? I'm not sure on that one but i know it isn't really high. and to maintain that taking gen ed classes isn't really that hard to do.

Anyone who has ever played a sport and especially anyone good enough to play college athletics know that it is a huge commitment that for MOST is not easily attained. I do not believe practice is work, but all the other parts that go with it are...weight lifting, film, etc. It's not an easy gig.

I agree with you that some college athletes only get by because of being athletes. I can't argue with you on that one because I have seen it for myself. These student athletes are provided with numberous tudors that help them get by. However, this is not true for MOST athletes. The classes these athletes take are based on there chosen major. Some choose to challenge themselves and some choose to go the easy route, and the same can be said for regular students.

[FoOtBaLl FrEaK 8-0]

They get paid with a free education (in most cases). Nothing more need be said.