The Other Side of College Football

The Other Side of College Football    

By Chloe Ivey

            College sports are quite a popular topic. Millions of fans young and old enjoy to tune in and watch their favorite team. However, what these millions of fans may not know is that these athletes don’t get paid at all. Not a penny! The NCAA forbids any form shape or size of pay, which has caused a big debut. These athletes work too hard and support their college too much that it would be a crime for this work to go unpaid. 

            These incredible athletes do a lot for their schools. Not only do they work their fingers to the very bone to help their teams, but while their out in the field everyone else is reeling in the cash. The school, the coach, the only person that remains unpaid is the actual athletes. They sell these jerseys, temporary tattoos, jewelry, pants, shirts, bobble heads, you name it. The sad part is that without the athletes none of this could be possible. According to NY Times, “College football and men’s basketball have become such huge commercial enterprises that together they generate more than $6 billion in annual revenue, more than the National Basketball Association. A top college coach can make as much or more than a professional coach; Ohio State just agreed to pay Urban Meyer $24 million over six years. That’s a bucket load of money! And to think that not a penny of it goes to the players is insane! And according to Fox Carolina, “In September, former Alabama tackle DJ Fluker was one of five players who allegedly took money. Fluker is a guy who's reportedly dealt with plenty of hardships such as poverty and homelessness. And in 2012 he helped lead Alabama to a national title. According to a USA Today report, the school made about $82 million in revenue, and about $45 million in profit that year. Fluker, just like every player, didn't see a dime.” This quote just proves how hard it really is for most of these players to maintain a simple meal plan and even a home and how hard they work.

Picture this. Sweat clinging to their uniforms, sore muscles from working too hard, and bruises still lingering, the last game, from getting tackled. Cashing in, and giving athletes money is a mall price to pay for this hard work that they give back. USA Today shows the athlete’s schedules. “Football players in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision  said they spent an average of 44.8 hours a week on their sport, playing games, practicing, training and in the training room, compared with a little less than 40 hours on academics. Division I baseball players said they spent 40 hours on their sport, 32 on academics. In men's basketball, it was 36.8 hours on their sport vs. 33.9 hours on academics. Women's basketball was little less time-intensive, players saying they spent a little more than 36 hours on their game vs. a little more than 37 on classwork.  Other sports exceeding or approaching a 37 1/2-hour work week were men's golf (40.8) and hockey (37.6) and women's softball (37.1).” Also according to NCAA rules, if a player is injured or hurt and is not eligible to play they lose their scholarships as well. That is sick! If a player gets hurt fighting for their team then they also don’t get an education. So they’re permanently crippled and get to work a Mc Donald’s for the rest of their life. Does that seem logical? I think not.                                                             

Others disagree. They state that college is a better prize, and that it’s silly to start get ruffled about something so small. For example. ESPN states, “We need to stop looking at college as it relates to athletics as an educational aperture and look at it for what it has become: a business platform.” Well, ESPN is looking at the situation wrong. Yes, it’s true. College is a gift and something to be grateful for. The Huffington post states, “Here has been major discussion recently if college athletes should or shouldn't be paid while they are in school. The first thing opponents say is, "They're already getting a scholarship! That's more than anybody else! Don't be greedy! Fine, let's not be greedy and look at how much a scholarship is actually worth. On average, a full Division 1 scholarship is $25,000 per year. "That's $100,000 over four years!" But these athletes do more then get an education. They are what these collages lean on. They are one of the college’s main supports. These athletes go above and beyond for their colleges.                                                                                                     Looking at the players that do so much for their team should be an awakening for the NCAA. Everyone deserves to be able to support him or herself, but leaving the athletes helpless is ever so cruel.  We all seem to shy away from this topic. But we simply cannot leave thing topic lingering! We need to resolve this situation for the benefit of the athletes.