Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Argument and Counter-Argument

The main argument for my paper is the fact that the NCAA is currently exploiting college athletes on multiple levels and that these players deserve financial compensation for their participation in college sports programs.  The NCAA is currently making billions of dollars per year through these athletic programs and the players who make it happen are getting nothing in return.  The NCAA has instilled the myth of amateurism to the programs which is currently allowing the NCAA to make money off players without having to pay them.  These athletes are not considered employees of the university and as a result they are not forced to pay the players for their participation.  The NCAA is currently making 81% of its revenues from television and marketing rights fees showing its growing dependence on live sports for profits.  These live sports would not be possible without the players and the billions that the NCAA are making from these deals are beginning to resonate amongst the players.  The NCAA argues that they are providing athletes with full scholarships for their participation in sports programs but many athletes do not think this is enough.  The thousands that colleges have to spend to give these athletes full scholarships does not compare to the total amount that they are truly making off of them.  The Ed O'Bannon case is a great representation of the fact that colleges are financially exploiting their athletes and breaking the law while doing so.  Under this court decision, the NCAA was found to be in violation with antitrust laws for curbing financial compensation that athletes receive.  The major factor going into this case was the idea of amateurism that the NCAA has been trying to preserve.  This idea is a myth that has allowed the NCAA to continue to exploit players without repercussions.  The NCAA argues that by preserving amateurism they are protecting the players and are allowing a higher level of competition to be had amongst teams.  This is hardly the case, as this idea of amateurism is what is allowing schools to take advantage of their athletes.  A shift is needed from the current system that the NCAA is operating under and a potential solution would be a free market system.  Under this system players would be able to be fairly valued by schools and in turn earn wages that are on par with what they are giving back to the university.  Athletes are hoping that the system will soon turn towards more of a free market but this is not what the NCAA is hoping for.  The NCAA does not want this shift to a free market as it would cost them millions to compensate the players, a solution given by them would be a program in which players receive academic credits for their participation in sports programs.  This would follow the current system that band and orchestra take at schools in which participates earn academic credits for the "internship."  This is a potential solution but it is one that the players would most likely not be accordance with as they are worried more about financial compensation.  Too much money is currently being made by the NCAA for athletes not to notice and the time is now for change.  What type of change is the real question, whether it we should begin to pay or athletes or not.  Either way it is evident that these athletes deserve more than they are currently making and a solution is needed to fix this problem.     

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