Release The Chains | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

Release The Chains

The solution to college athletes not being paid.

10
Release The Chains

This last week I had the amazing opportunity to watch ESPN analyst Jay Bilas and NCAA executive vice president of affairs Oliver Luck debate a very important issue in sports today—should college athletes be paid? Naturally, after hearing both sides of the argument, I began to develop an opinion of my own. While both parties have excellent and well-thought-out arguments, I don't believe either has the best solution to the issue.

First off, I want to point out the flaws in paying athletes. For starters, schools flat out don't have the money. According to USA Today, only a hand full of Division I athletic programs made a sizable profit whatsoever. College sport is barley getting by as it is, as shown by the University of Alabama at Birmingham having to cut their football program last year. If paying players becomes legal, smaller schools are either going to have to accept losing every year, or cut their programs altogether. Nobody wins in that situation. Furthermore, paying players would essentially turn them into employees of the university. Student-athletes, while held to a higher standard than an average student, are still just college kids. Going to school every day shouldn't feel like going to a job. If they begin to be looked at as employees of the university, the 'student' part of the equation is all but taken away.

At the same time, there is clearly a flaw in the current system. College athletics are more popular than ever before, and the athletes are the sole reason for this. While each individual program may not be making much money, the sport industry as a whole is rolling in cash produced by college athletics. Everywhere you look, someone is using either college football or college basketball as a marketing ploy. Dr. Pepper has made countless commercials based solely on their involvement with the College Football Playoffs. The people responsible for making college sports so marketable, the athletes, should be compensated. Going one step further, college athletes should be able to profit off of their talents. Athletes are the only students not encouraged to take what they're good at, and go make money doing it right now. If a student is gifted at photography, he or she is going to go out and take pictures and sell them. If a student is gifted at math, he or she is going to go out and work as an accountant or engineer somewhere and earn a paycheck. Shouldn't athletes get the same opportunity?

Since extremity one way or the other clearly isn't going to work, here's my proposition - simply release the chains off of the athletes and allow them to do their own thing. If Gatorade wants to pay a student athlete $1,000,000 to make a commercial, the student should have the right to do it. He or she has earned that right through his or her actions. If a player wants to sign a baseball and sell it on eBay, he or she should be able to. If a student has earned enough recognition to be marketable, allow the student to be marketable. Student-athletes work their tails off every day to be the best athletes and students they can be; shouldn't they be rewarded for achieving that?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

143768
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

35165
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

31361
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments