To me the question of whether or not college athletes should get paid has always been a very simple one: no. When thinking about it the tuition and degree they receive for free more than covers what the average athlete is bringing in revenue to a university. Now some could make the claim that Johnny Manziel generates more revenue than 4 years of tuition at Texas A&M, but he is an outlier. Not only do they receive a free education but some players also get spending money on top of it. With a free degree that will set them up for their future and maybe some spending money the average player gets more than enough to live a comfortable life. When looking at the long term situation the value of a free education becomes that much greater. Having a college degree statistically increases one's lifetime earnings to double of those who don't have one, which in itself is an extremely valuable form of payment.
This has been a big issue in American collegiate sports for decades, but think of the consequences. Schools with large revenue would suddenly have the best players while smaller budget teams wouldn't stand a chance, ruining the competitiveness of the games. Also with all that money who knows what would happen to future star athletes. The fear is that many of them would lose focus on school and want to live the life of a pro, but with the maturity of a college kid. I fear many futures would be derailed and opportunities lost if players were to be paid.
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