Conclusion
To sum up whether or not student athletes should be paid or not, for the opposing side, student athletes should not be paid because it puts their integrity on the line, playing a sport in college is completely voluntary, as well as money made from ticket sales from games, merchandise, etc., goes to the college in order to make the environment safe and clean. Student athletes should be paid because no matter what, college athletes will acquire debt if they are not supported financially. Expensive food plans, rent, bills, and other necessities, like toiletries, are responsible for creating some student debt. Secondly, student athletes should be paid because earning money will teach the student athletes important money management skills that are applicable after college life. Lastly, without college athletes there would be no Sweet Sixteen tournaments, no Orange Bowls, not even a Super Bowl had those student athletes not been chosen to play in college. Paying student athletes just shows a little more appreciation for them existing. After conducting several hours of research as well as asking my peers what their opinions are and why, I can conclude, for myself, that I agree with the supporting side of the argument. Student athletes should be paid, even minimally. There are far too many occurrences when an athlete finishes with a game or practice and cannot afford to eat afterword. If a student athlete is not able to pay for food, how can they be expected to play to their fullest potential? If a student athlete cannot pay their rent or suffer debt, how are they expected to live properly? There are a lot of other examples that can be used but it is pretty clear that a student athlete has zero extra time to spend in between sports and school to get a job. For a fact, playing a sport in college is voluntary, but what if a student were to injure himself or herself and require surgery? If that student does not have the money it takes to pay off a surgery they will be in even heavier debt potentially for years and years after college is over with.
College sports unite people. Maybe those people dislike each other outside of sports but they can agree on a team they love and can easily sit together and watch a game on television. College sports are very popular in the United States and without those student athletes, the unity would not exist and people would be unhappy without college sports. Paying student athletes would help bring down the number of people in the United States with student debt. Paying student athletes would teach monetary skills that every person requires as well as it shows a lot more respect for students and athletes. Hard work should be rewarded. Student athletes deserve to be paid, even minimally, to give credit where credit is due.
College sports unite people. Maybe those people dislike each other outside of sports but they can agree on a team they love and can easily sit together and watch a game on television. College sports are very popular in the United States and without those student athletes, the unity would not exist and people would be unhappy without college sports. Paying student athletes would help bring down the number of people in the United States with student debt. Paying student athletes would teach monetary skills that every person requires as well as it shows a lot more respect for students and athletes. Hard work should be rewarded. Student athletes deserve to be paid, even minimally, to give credit where credit is due.