The issue of paying college student-athletes has been an ongoing argument since the early 1990's. Since, the NCAA will not allow student-athletes the right to use their names, images, and likeness to make their own money, the organization is greatly limiting the ability for student-athletes to make enough money to survive and help their families (Hoffer & Pincin 2015). The NCAA is extremely conservative with the vast amount of money they make and the university is distributing that money in a very unequal way. This issue takes on a point and counterpoint approach to the topic of paying college athletes and this analysis will have an effect on college administrators, athletes, students, coaches, athletic departments and the NCAA. 

The NCAA and college institutions knows the market for athletes are highly limited being, that the NCAA and college institutions are considered nonprofit organization's their incentive is to spend every cent that sponsors give them. According to the article "Playoffs Are a Revenue Bonanza for College Football", by Jacob Pramuk, ESPN was willing to pay $610 million dollars annually estimated into $7.3 billion dollars over 12 years to secure broadcast rights. That rate more than tripled the annual fee the network paid for last four years of the BCS (Vrooman 2016). Whereas, "March Madness: Follow the money", by Jonathan Berr March Madness earned roughly $900 million dollars in revenue where most of the money coming from the broadcast rights were paid by CBS and Time Warner. The media companies signed a 14 year deal worth $10.8 billion dollars in 2006 (Berr 2015). With current television revenue resulting from NCAA football bowl games and March Madness in basketball, there is now a demand for compensating both football and basketball players way beyond an athletic scholarship. This demand is here today, because these athletes are the ones who are bringing in billions of dollars a year and million dollars a game. Provided that, college student-athletes being financially compensated would likely increase graduation rates among student-athletes, rather than forgoing an education to support family immediately or continuing to put their body at great risk without compensation.

Discussion

One can argue that football and basketball student-athletes go to college for the wrong reason and put the athlete before student. Can someone blame these student-athletes when they come from very little and would have never came to college if they was not on an athletic scholarship? Only one in five college students who come from low income families complete a bachelor's degree by age of 24 (Korn 2015), so if general students graduate at this rate imagine the rate of a student-athlete with a similar background. Not only do a large population of student-athletes come from low-income backgrounds, but they also have to balance the large amount of pressure that comes with being an athlete in school. This causes a pressure to get rich quick and take care of their families causing student-athletes to value a secure lifestyle and big money immediately than staying and obtaining a degree. The problem with this is that those that seek the "get rich quick" options often do not learn what it takes to be successful outside of their sport.

It is extremely common these days for professional athletes to go broke. Results show that "78% of the National Football League players are bankrupted or under severe financial stress due to unemployment or divorce within 2 years from retirement" (Pavlidis & Gargalianos 294). "Similarly, 60% of the National Basketball Association players seem to have the same destiny within 5 years from retirement" (Pavlidis & Gargalianos 294). The National Football League and National Basketball Association draft fewer than 2% of college student-athletes every year so that, means over 98% of student-athletes will be required to pursue other options (Harper, Williams, & Blackman 19). These numbers help to show how greatly important it is for student-athletes to get their degrees and learn how to manage their money. Taking the easy way out often does not last very long.

What the NCAA does not realize is that the fear of failure in athletics, and family values play important roles when choosing to stay for a degree or taking a shot at professional sports. For instance, Jadeveon Clowney told Jim Rome "If I would have had the chance to take care of my family through college I would have probably stayed in college" (Brinson 2014). Clowney explains that he values his family the most and having to take care of my family is extremely important (Brinson 2014). In fact, it would have made a big difference on his decision to leave early for the draft, if he have gotten paid by the university (Brinson 2014). There is a very small number of student-athletes who actually make it in professional sports. Therefore, leaving college early is a high risk when opting out a degree that would last a lifetime. 

This is especially true for African-Americans and touches me personally with me being an African-African. For myself and other African-Americans, it is less likely for us as a group to graduate. African American student-athletes often enter colleges and universities and are told they have 'innate black athletic superiority' more blatantly the racist stereotype of the 'dumb negro' (Harper, Williams, & Blackman 4). Given this, racist stereotype black student-athletes and their family need to stop choosing institutions because, it appears to be a promising gateway to a career in professional sports and start graduating. In reality, over 96% of colleges and universities across the country are graduating black male student-athletes at significantly lower rates than the overall student-athlete population (Harper, Williams, & Blackman 3). Provided that, it is safe to say black student-athletes have earned the racist stereotype and name 'dumb negro' because they continue to forgo valuable education for a quick dollar. Help us out for us to get away from this stereotype and allowing us to conform to such words by financially compensating us. Then maybe African-Americans would increase graduation rates among student-athletes, rather than forgoing an education to support family immediately or continuing to put their body at great risk without compensation.

Despite these stereotypes and small graduation numbers, the lack of graduation is not only the African-American student-athletes fault. Some of the blame needs to be placed on the NCAA and their lack of compensation and exploitation of these young men and women. They tell student-athletes to go out there and put their bodies on the line, physically and mentally, for free. Only if the athlete is good enough, that they might make it to the next level and get some money for all of the sacrifice and dedication. For many athletes, since they were born, they have been chasing their dream just to make it out of a bad situation. This desire is not only for them, but their families as well. One little injury can cost that athlete their career, mind, body, or even life. 

Inky Johnson a defensive back for the University of Tennessee, was severely injured while making a tackle during a game against Air Force on Sept. 9, 2006. With two minutes left in the game Johnson went to make a routine tackle he has always made his entire life (Inabinett 2013). Except this time the results ended different causing him a career-ending injury; he tore all the nerves in his brachial plexus, which is the nerve roots that goes from the spine that control your arm and your hand (Inabinett 2013). He busted up the clavier artery in his chest so, in order to save his life they had to rush him back to surgery and take the main vein out of his left leg and plug it into his chest in order to save his life (Inabinett 2013). Therefore, Johnson right hand and arm is now paralyzed during one of the darkest times in his life, and one of the most uncertain times Inky looked backed on his life (Inabinett 2013). Inky Johnson says "I thought about when I was a kid in that park with my mother and I thought about those Saturday mornings when I would be with my father running to this fire station, and it propelled me through one of the toughest moments of my life" (Inabinett 2013). He continues to say "who would have known when I was 7 years old, the spirit that God was creating then would take shape when I was 20 years old at the University of Tennessee" (Inabinett 2013). For the love and passion for the game of football Johnson was thankful for the play that nearly cost him his life (Inabinett 2013). Inky says "football has played an instrumental part in my life, in my development as a man and my development as a father and my development as a husband and in my relationship with God as well" (Inabinett 2013).This is the perfect example one little injury can cost that athlete their career, body, or even life only thing he didn't lose was his mind.

The NCAA today, has made their organization a lucrative business. They seek to provide athletes with improved training and regimens which is leading to bigger, stronger, and faster athletes. When athletes put these big and strong bodies in situations where they are going to collide with one another it causes them to increase the risk of a serious injury like, an anterior cruciate ligament tear and concussions (Childs 2007). The increase for an anterior cruciate ligament injury is almost doubled when talking about men, and in a sport like basketball it is almost five times higher (Childs 2007). In the United States every year there are 400,000 anterior cruciate ligament injuries (Childs 2007). As for concussions, the increase could be due to better detection methods available now then the past (Childs 2007). In other cases, some injuries they sustain could have lifelong implications. This lucrative business have added year-round training without seasonal breaks causing more overtraining injuries due to lack of sufficient downtime (Childs 2007). Resulting from, overtraining injuries it gives young athletes dire consequences meaning they will likely experience osteoarthritis as early in their 20s (Childs 2007). With athletes having osteoarthritis early when they are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s it will be a struggle for them to be able to exercise trying to prevent diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases (Childs 2007). Although a disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy occurred in boxers, it was now discovered in football players in 2005 (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013).

For instance, Junior Seau known as one of the premier linebackers in NFL history, had tested positive for chronic traumatic encephalopathy a neurodegenerative disease that can lead to dementia, memory loss, and depression (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). This type of chronic brain damage also has been found in dozens of deceased former players. This disease gradually develop deterioration of the brain and the ability to think logically that is associated with repeated head trauma (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Junior Seau have had a lot of head-to-head collisions over the course of twenty years playing in the NFL, resulting in him committing suicide by shooting himself in the heart on May 2nd just two years after retiring from the NFL (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Drastic changes his family noticed during the final years of his life, including mood swings, depression, forgetfulness, insomnia, and detachment (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). After, his death Seau family immediately donated his brain to the National Institutes of Health in Washington. Dr. Russell Lonser who were the chief of surgical neurology at the NIH at the time helped coordinate the study with three different neuropathologists from outside the NIH (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Seau's brain was "blinded" to ensure its independence so, the three independent neuropathologists from outside the NIH were given unidentified tissue from three different brains; one belonged to Seau, another to a person who had suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and a third to a person with no history of traumatic brain injury or neurodegenerative disease (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Lonser reported the three experts independently came to the same conclusion as two other government researchers that Seau's brain showed ultimate signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Those signs included the presence of an abnormal protein called "tau," which forms neurofibrillary tangles, effectively strangling brain cells (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). A statement released by the NIH said the tangles were found within multiple regions of Mr. Seau's brain (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). In addition, the statement said, a small region of the left frontal lobe showed "evidence of scarring that is consistent with a small, old traumatic brain injury" (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). NFL said the NIH's finding "underscores the recognized need for additional research to of chronic traumatic encephalopathy" (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Seau family chose the NIH because it was a complete, comprehensive, unbiased scientific institution of the highest level (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013).

However, the study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and football is still in its infancy, and the prevalence of the disease has not yet been established (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Provided that, it cannot be diagnosed in living people, only by examining brains that are removed during autopsy (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). The NFL is not ignoring these results with a statement "The NFL, both directly and in partnership with the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and other leading organizations, is committed to supporting a wide range of independent medical and scientific research that will both address CTE and promote the long-term health and safety of athletes at all levels. The NFL clubs have already committed a $30 million research grant to the NIH, and we look forward to making decisions soon with the NFL Players Association on the investment of $100 million for medical research that is committed in the collective bargaining agreement. We have work to do, and we're doing it" (Fainaru-Wada, Avila, & Fainaru 2013). Hopefully, the NCAA will stimulate a new round of injury prevention measures that will further enhance health care in terms of what student-athletes are provided with for preventing injuries. The reality of this situation is that student-athletes are putting themselves and their bodies in danger and end up with costly medical bills down the line. Paying them while in school may allow for the student-athlete to create some type of savings to deal with these issues that are likely to occur. It will also more than likely keep the students in school until they get their degrees and ultimately a full-time job.

Opposition

Some may argue that even if the NCAA pay college student-athletes, it still may not be enough. A full athletic scholarship at an NCAA division 1 university is about $65,000 if an athlete enroll at a college with high tuition (Thelin 2016). According to Thelin (2016), if one assumes that student-athletes scholarships are replaced with salaries and the guaranteed salary is $100,000 a year. Now we are comparing the better deal a $100,000 salary or a $65,000 scholarship. This deal sound real good athletes' are thinking but in reality, it may sound like a good idea, but math is going to prove otherwise. Provided that, when talking in context of a salary and not a scholarship "grant-in-aid" the government now has the authority to take federal and state income taxes (Thelin 2016). Reason being is because a salary the athletes will collect the money but a scholarship goes straight to the school athlete never can touch it so they never take money out of a scholarship. For instance, if the student-athlete lives in a moderate tax state and gets paid a salary of $100,000, federal income tax is $23,800 and state tax is $6,700 (Thelin 2016). That is a total of $30,500 an the city the athlete plays in levy an employee payroll tax and the student-athlete taxes goes up $2,400 every year because you are an employee (Thelin 2016). So, instead of looking at $30,500 your taxes are now $32,900 a considering that athlete as an employee they have to pay at least $2,000 in other taxes like social security (Thelin 2016). With a total bill of $34,900 in just taxes being paid that student-athlete is left with $65,100. Almost forgot this athlete has to pay his college bills that is $65,000 so this athlete get to keep $100 (Thelin 2016). After considering all this do not forget the market value for athletes and their own worth. As a salary the college coaches have to offer it most college coaches are going to try and get the athletes as cheapest as possible that is just most common when negotiating. So, after stating that the athlete might not even get offered $100,000 might be cheaper or more, but the biggest issue that comes to play is states have different tax prices so across the country numbers will be different. State taxes and federal taxes being paid maybe the NCAA can compromise and still give athletic scholarship and just make salaries as a pay for play scale. Meaning players get paid after they play so, if one weekend an player miss a game or do not play they miss they money after the game. Creating this into a do something for me I do something for you type mentality.

Another argument against student-athlete being paid deals with the fact that revenue that colleges and universities are producing is being outpaced by expenses they have to pay (Burnsed 2014). Expenses go above revenue at all FBS schools except twenty. In fact, over $2.3 million are lost in the power five conferences and $17.6 million in all other FBS schools (Burnsed 2014). Between 2012 and 2013, revenue increased 3.2 percent but the expenses rose 10.6 percent (Burnsed 2014). When this happens the university's tries to use institutional subsidies to bridge the gap but you cannot bridge the gap if the budget rose faster than the institutional budget as well (Burnsed 2014). Therefore, it is not realistic to expect all universities to be able to pay their student-athletes. Given this, it would be important to have the NCAA jump in and try to help out pay some of the bills.  Many of the universities that can afford to pay their athletes, do not allocate their funds appropriately. They tend to focus on large coaching salaries and facility upgrades.

Significance 

Compensating college student-athletes is so important, because it may effect graduation rates tremendously, thus, giving many student-athletes a chance after their sport. Athletes do not want much. Many are only asking for is for the NCAA to divide the money they make off of them more equal. Coaches making 7.5 times more than scholarships the athletes receive, where the fairness in that (Hoffer & Pincin 2015). They work too hard for just college to be paid for; early morning lifts, classes, study hall, meetings, and then practices. Student-athletes' sport takes up so much of their time, they cannot get a job and most of them need one for the life outside of football like supporting family. Stop being so naive expecting athletes to be able to live off their three meal a day they are provided but only work in certain places and no real money for any other necessity they may have. That type of lifestyle can cause athletes to run to fast money, because in reality if they wait, they are endangering their families, health and mentality and may never be able to profit off of the sport they put so much time and energy in. If the NCAA wants to increase graduation rates, they should start by increasing the monthly stipends. There is a large population of student-athletes that just need enough to survive the day-to-day. Providing them with some compensation for the stress, pressure and physical toll on their body is small change to the universities and the NCAA.

