“Student-athletes have a hard time juggling school and their sport. Should they be paid?”
(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussion purposes only.)
By Paul Slobodzian | State Press
Student-athletes in college are some of the most popular athletes in the country, but they do not get compensated accordingly. College athletes deserve compensation for the work and time they dedicate to their universities’ athletic programs.
College athletics, especially football and men’s basketball, bring in millions of dollars in revenue for their respective schools and the NCAA, but that money does not find its way back to the players.
Football dominates network television on Saturdays throughout the fall and winter, and March Madness is one of the biggest events for any sport, collegiate or professional.
The NCAA rakes in gobs of money each year from various television contracts, championships and investments. In 2011-12 alone the NCAA made $871.6 million.
To put it into perspective, ASU’s head football coach Todd Graham’s yearly salary, is $3.2 million.
