Should College Athletes Be Paid? Arguments and Solutions
This essay examines the debate over whether college athletes should receive financial compensation for their participation in college sports—an industry generating approximately $11 billion annually. It outlines the case for paying athletes, who often invest more than 43 hours per week in their sport while generating enormous revenue for their schools. It then presents counterarguments, including the value of athletic scholarships and concerns about institutional integrity. The paper also identifies problems arising from the current unpaid model, such as illicit payments and the "one-and-done" phenomenon. Finally, it proposes a NCAA-administered trust fund as a balanced solution that compensates athletes upon graduation.
- Introduction: Overview of the college athlete compensation debate
- Reasons for Payment of College Athletes: Revenue generation and labor hours justify athlete pay
- Reasons Against Payment of College Athletes: Scholarships, integrity, and financial feasibility concerns
- Problems That Arise from the Current System: Corruption scandals and the one-and-done phenomenon
- The Solution: A College Athlete Trust Fund: Graduation-contingent NCAA trust fund as a balanced fix
- Conclusion: Summary and final endorsement of the trust fund proposal
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper follows a logical, balanced structure: it presents the case for payment, then the case against, then real-world consequences, and finally a concrete proposal — moving the reader from problem to solution.
- It uses multiple named sources with in-text citations to support each side of the debate, lending credibility to what could otherwise be a one-sided argument.
- The trust fund proposal in the solution section is specific and actionable, moving beyond vague advocacy to describe a concrete mechanism with clear conditions (graduation-contingent payout).
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates effective use of the counterargument-rebuttal structure. Rather than dismissing opposition views, the author dedicates a full section to the strongest arguments against paying athletes before pivoting to the harms of the status quo. This makes the eventual solution more persuasive because it has already acknowledged and engaged with the opposing position.
Structure breakdown
The essay has five substantive sections following the introduction: (1) arguments for payment, grounded in labor and revenue data; (2) arguments against, drawn from a single source presenting multiple objections; (3) problems arising from non-payment, including corruption scandals and the one-and-done phenomenon; (4) a proposed trust fund solution with specific operational details; and (5) a brief conclusion restating the thesis and recommendation. References are provided in APA format.
Introduction
College athletes devote enormous time and energy to athletic competition — so much so that they are routinely considered athletes first and students second. For parts of the year, their role in sports actually obliges them to miss classes. Because college sports is a massive industry today, college athletes provide an extraordinary source of revenue for their universities. Yet, for all the work, time, and energy that student athletes invest in their sport — whether basketball or football — they receive no pay for the services and entertainment they provide to millions of fans across the nation. In a society where equity and fairness are highly valued, one must wonder why college athletes appear to be getting the short end of the stick.
This essay examines the reasons why college athletes should be paid and the reasons given for why they are not. It also examines some of the problems with the current arrangement and why it leads to the corruption of athletes and administrators. Finally, it offers a solution that should be satisfactory to all stakeholders by allowing players to benefit financially while also preserving the integrity of the game.
References
Edelman, M. (2014). 21 reasons why student-athletes are employees and should be allowed to unionize. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcedelman/2014/01/30/21-reasons-why-student-athletes-are-employees-and-should-be-allowed-to-unionize/
Hartnett, T. (2014). Why college athletes should be paid. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tyson-hartnett/college-athletes-should-be-paid_b_4133847.html
Mathis-Lilley, B. (2018). The real lessons of the weekend's NCAA scandal. Retrieved from https://slate.com/culture/2018/02/college-basketball-exposes-undermine-coaches-claims-about-paying-players.html
Moroses, R. (2017). Understanding the trust fund proposal. Retrieved from http://collegead.com/understanding-the-trust-fund-proposal-for-compensating-student-athletes/
NCAA. (2018). What is the NCAA? Retrieved from
Swanson, R. (2017). Want to clean up college athletics? Pay the players. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2017/10/02/want-to-clean-up-college-athletics-pay-the-players/
Wilson, B. (2016). 5 reasons college athletes should not be paid. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@brandonlwilson/5-reasons-college-athletes-should-not-be-paid-46c6d1399892
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