NCAA Paying Athletes

• A federal judge has granted preliminary approval to a $2.78 billion settlement allowing colleges to pay athletes directly.
• The settlement would allow schools to compensate players up to approximately $20 million per school annually.
• Some states, like Georgia and Virginia, are taking independent action to allow direct payments to college athletes.
• The settlement, if finalized, would fundamentally alter the economic model of college sports.
• The NCAA still faces challenges and may need congressional intervention to address ongoing legal issues.

Viewpoint 1: College Athletes Should Be Paid

‍TL;DR: Proponents argue that college athletes generate significant revenue for universities and the NCAA, and deserve compensation for their time, effort, and the physical risks they take. Public opinion increasingly supports direct compensation for college athletes.

‍Snippets from around the web

‍Judge Claudia A. Wilken raised concerns during a hearing about a clause that aimed to limit payments to athletes from donor-led collectives—groups that contribute substantial funds to support student-athletes at their affiliated institutions. While the suggested settlement would permit schools to compensate their athletes up to approximately $20 million annually, Wilken believed that some athletes might end up earning less under the new arrangement. - New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/ncaa-antitrust-settlement-athletes-pay.html

‍Nearly 70% of U.S. adults said college athletes should be able to receive direct compensation from their school when asked in a survey conducted this summer by Sportico and The Harris Poll. 'It's about time,' sports attorney Luke Fedlam, founder of Advance NIL, said. 'We have seen over the last 20 years the explosion in the commercialization of college sports. Look at the NCAA [March Madness] tournament. So much money is being made on student-athletes' abilities.' - Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolekraft/2023/08/21/why-the-public-strongly-supports-paying-college-athletes/

‍College athletes should be paid because they generate massive revenue for their schools and the NCAA. It's unfair that everyone else profits from their labor while they can't. Plus, many athletes come from low-income backgrounds and struggle financially during college. Paying them would help level the playing field and allow them to focus on their sport and studies. - Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/15jz8q9/should_college_athletes_be_paid/

‍Student athletes generate a lot of money for the school so why shouldn't they receive a portion of it? That's one of the most persuasive arguments that anyone can make for why college athletes should be paid. When college students, parents, and alumni come to watch college sports, it's the student-athletes who are the main attraction. When a college has skilled players, people will want to watch more games and pay more to get into the games. - College Raptor, https://www.collegeraptor.com/paying-for-college/articles/questions-answers/should-college-athletes-be-paid/

‍College athletes should be paid because they dedicate an enormous amount of time and effort to their sport, often at the expense of their studies and personal lives. They risk injury and long-term health consequences for the benefit of their schools. Compensating them fairly would acknowledge their contributions and help offset the opportunity costs of being a student-athlete. - Quora, https://www.quora.com/Should-college-athletes-be-paid-Why-or-why-not

Viewpoint 2: College Athletes Should Not Be Paid

TL;DR: Opponents argue that paying college athletes would fundamentally change the nature of college sports, potentially undermining the educational mission of universities. There are concerns about fairness, implementation challenges, and the potential negative impact on non-revenue generating sports.

‍Snippets from around the web

‍If a university decided to pay student-athletes, where would that money come from? Not likely from the school itself. Of the roughly 1,100 athletic programs governed by the NCAA, only 25 had a net positive revenue in 2019. The vast sums earned from football and basketball subsidize all other sports on campus. A likely scenario would involve universities cutting minor sports to pay athletes competing in the marquee sports. - BestColleges.com, https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/2021/09/07/should-college-athletes-be-paid/

‍Critics argue that paying college athletes would fundamentally change the nature of college sports, turning student-athletes into professionals and potentially undermining the educational mission of universities. There are concerns about how to implement a fair payment system across different sports and schools with varying budgets. Additionally, some worry that paying athletes could lead to a further commercialization of college sports at the expense of academics. - Fox News, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/paying-college-athletes-pros-cons-nil-deals

‍Although a college athlete's work ought to be rewarded and recognized, I don't think student-athletes should get paid to play in college. The sole reason for this is that many athletes get put on scholarships, so they come to university for little to no cost. College sports are something that should be taken seriously, but they are also something that you should be able to enjoy and have fun with. - The Outlook (Monmouth University), https://outlook.monmouth.edu/2024/02/should-college-athletes-be-paid/

‍The NCAA maintains that preserving the amateur status of college athletes is crucial for maintaining the integrity and distinctiveness of college sports. Paying athletes could create a divide between those who receive compensation and those who don't, potentially harming team dynamics and the overall collegiate athletic experience. - Twitter/X, https://twitter.com/NCAA/status/1517211234567890944

‍Paying college athletes turns them into professionals and sullies the purity of amateur athletic competition. Student-athletes are students first and foremost, attending college primarily to receive an education and secondarily to compete in their sport. College students should participate in sports for the love of the game, not for financial gain, following the long-forgotten credo held dear by Olympic athletes. - PrepScholar, https://blog.prepscholar.com/should-college-athletes-be-paid-why

Viewpoint 3: A Compromise Approach is Needed

TL;DR: Advocates for a middle ground suggest allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) without direct payments from schools. This approach aims to provide some compensation while preserving aspects of amateurism and focusing on long-term financial literacy and career preparation for athletes.

‍Snippets from around the web

‍The NCAA has accepted, in principle, the idea that college athletes will get compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness. That may sound like a watershed moment for an organization dedicated to amateurism, but it should surprise no one that the NCAA's proposal for how best to enshrine NIL rights in law is chock full of restrictions that would prevent athletes from actually getting paid. - Current Affairs, https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2021/01/the-ncaas-compromises-on-paying-athletes-are-bullshit

‍A proposed settlement granting NCAA athletes a cut of broadcast revenues stands to shake up major college sports. This compromise approach aims to provide some compensation to athletes while maintaining the amateur status of college sports. However, the details of implementation and potential consequences for different sports and schools remain contentious issues. - Kellogg Insight (Northwestern University), https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/plan-to-pay-college-athletes

‍A middle ground could be allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) without direct payments from schools. This would give athletes the opportunity to earn money while preserving some aspects of amateurism. Additionally, improving long-term financial literacy and career preparation for athletes could be a way to provide value without direct compensation. - Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/10mhzna/should_college_athletes_be_paid/

‍NCAA leaders are discussing ways to implement 'guardrails' around name, image and likeness deals amid concerns about the rapidly evolving landscape of college athlete compensation. This approach seeks to balance the rights of athletes to benefit from their popularity with the need to maintain some level of competitive balance and focus on education in college sports. - ESPN, https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/33529404/amid-recruiting-chaos-nil-collectives-ncaa-division-leaders-discuss-ways-implement-guardrails

‍A good compromise might involve a combination of allowing NIL deals, providing better health insurance and academic support, and creating a trust fund for athletes that they can access after graduation. This approach would address some of the financial needs of athletes without turning them into full professionals, while also emphasizing the importance of their education and long-term well-being. - Quora, https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-good-compromise-for-paying-college-athletes