Bobby Martinez – Sports Reporter
It has been one of the most controversial topics in sports today; should college athletes get compensated?
For decades, college athletes have helped generate millions of dollars to their respective colleges from jerseys, video games, etc. Last year, representing the country’s top college football conference, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide earned their conference $23.6 million payout from the Bowl Championship Series alone, according to Forbes Magazine.
Former Northwestern University quarterback Kain Colter, alongside Ramogi Huma and Luke Bonner, created the College Athletes Players Association (CAPA). The C.A.P.A. is a labor organization which asserts college athletes status as employees for their respective university.
Southern Connecticut State University football player Michael Dunkley said, “I think we should get paid. If not money, at least give us food, benefits, or insurance.”
It is debatable whether or not student athletes have the right amount of food to get them through the year. Former UConn point guard Shabazz Napier told CNN in regards to this issue, “I don’t feel student-athletes should get hundreds of thousands of dollars. But like I said, there are hungry nights that I go to bed and I’m starving.”
After coming off a perfect season, Florida State Seminoles Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston, was caught stealing crab legs from a Publix supermarket in Florida this past spring. No one knows what Winston’s financial status was at that time, but it can be debated whether or not if the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) paid Winston, this incident could’ve been avoided.
Southern Connecticut State University student Nate Morrison, had mixed feelings about athletes getting compensated by the NCAA, but said athletes would benefit off compensation from the NCAA.
“I think the college athletes would be better off getting paid by the NCAA,” he said. “Personally I think it’s stupid because they are also students. They are already getting paid (in regards to tuition) already to come to school.”
After months of both hundreds of debates across the country and numerous court dates, Colter and his legal team won their court case with the National Labor Relations Board ruled in favor of Northwestern University athletes. They ruled Northwestern athletes as “employees” and granted them the right to unionize as well.
In defense, Donald Remy who at the time represented the NCAA, said paying these athletes can potentially ruin a “system” that has worked for decades helping students achieve academic success.
“While improvements need to be made,” he said, “we do not need to completely throw away a system that has helped literally millions of students over the past decade alone attend college.”
Over the years, the NCAA has shifted numerous Division 1 conferences such as the South Eastern Conference (SEC) and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to name a few. With this change, the NCAA is trying to have the top wealthiest schools come together in a conference, where they would be able to grant student-athletes an additional $2,000 towards their tuition.
Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was caught and suspended for several game after signing autographs in exchange for tattoos, spoke to ESPN about his time at Ohio State and how the fans in stadiums were mainly wearing his jersey.
“The only thing I will say about that is when I was at Ohio State,” he said “all you seen was red jerseys in the stands and a lot of No. 2s,” (Pryor’s jersey number). “I’ll leave it at that.”
He also added, “at the time, I was getting in trouble. I don’t even call it being in trouble. I don’t think helping my mother, who was in need, is being in trouble. I’ll never regret that. The only thing I regret us hurting certain fans, teammates and coaches.”
Business management Adrian Kluk, said athletes shouldn’t be paid because despite a check not being written in their name, school tuition is already a chunk of money being given to them to attend a college or university.
“Going to a D-I school alone,” said Kluk, “is about $35,000-$55,000 and they get full rides to attend school as well.”
As this issue continues to see a concrete resolution for each and every player and school around the country, only time will determine if college athletes would receive a check from their schools.
