Storyline: The argument against paying players is that it would be complicated. Just do what the pros do: set a cap on other spending and use the revenue space to compensate players. Written by Kalab Bekele, Arlington, VA
A college football player is used for his body. Then, once he isn’t needed, he’s left out to dry.
It’s unfair that college football players are not getting paid. College football players bring in a lot of revenue for their teams and they spend many hours in practice, watch film, work out, and study playbooks.
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There’s a lot of pressure on college football players, too, both mentally and physically. They’re also at risk for health problems long after they graduate, warns Loyola University Medical Center sports medicine physician, Dr. Pietro Tonino. “Parents who push their children to specialize in one sport and train extensively in order to win athletic scholarships should be aware there could be long-term health consequences,” said Tonino.
Most concussions and other mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are often resolved within one-to-six weeks. However, some people experience post-concussion syndrome (PCS) with symptoms that last longer. Post-concussion syndrome can include physical, cognitive, and emotional problems, including headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating/completing tasks, irritability, and feeling unusual (” not like yourself”).
Long-term effects of concussions are very rare, but moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause symptoms similar to a concussion. Individuals with TBIs often experience more severe problems, including attention deficits and short-term memory issues that produce difficulty performing daily tasks and feeling “slower” overall.
The NCAA, conferences, schools, coaches, and related staff make a lot of money in major college football. Last year the average salary for a major college football coach was $2.05 million (source: Forbes). The University of Alabama reported $143.3 million in athletic revenues — more than all 30 NHL teams and 25 of the 30 NBA teams (source: CBSSports.com). And the NCAA generates nearly $11 billion in annual revenue from college sports — more than the estimated total league revenues of both the NBA and NHL (source: NYTimes.com), pro leagues that pay players.
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College football players often take scholarships because it’s their best option. But football makes it hard to receive the best education because of the time that players devote to the game. It’s a full-time job and the service they provide is very much like the work that others do in their workplace. College players work more hours than the average American–43.3 hours per week, 3.3 more hours than the typical working American (source: Forbes.com).
That work really benefits conferences and member schools. For example, of the $174 million distributed from five bowl games in 2011, 83.4% went to six conferences and member schools (source: ESPN.com).
The argument against paying major college players is that it would be complicated to implement a pay-for-play system. But that’s just a diversion. The easy way is to do what the pros do: set a cap on other spending and use the revenue space to compensate players.
Pay major college football players!
