To pay, or to not pay—that is the question. Last month the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a ruling granting Northwestern University football players the right to unionize, finding the players to be “employees” of the school. Two weeks ago Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson came out in support of paying college athletes, saying, “Nobody wants to live in the dorms for four years. You see the guys who are older, and they have responsibilities. I feel like, as much money as universities make, some of that should come down to the players, as well.” When it comes to college athletics, student-athletes are earning millions of dollars for their schools, yet see none of it directly. Is now the time to change that?
No.
I had the chance to speak with Miami Dolphins safety and former Stanford University football player Michael Thomas. “I feel that there is enough revenue being brought in by college institutions to pay athletes” says Thomas. “From TV deals, merchandise, and ticket sales, there is enough of the pie to split with players.” And he’s right; ESPN is set to pay approximately $5.63 billion dollars for the rights to air the college football playoffs for the next 12 years. Yes, billion. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel piled up $37 million in media exposure for Texas A&M during his Heisman-winning year according to a study by the school.
At the same time, however, there are many costs to be covered. Even with revenue produced from football and basketball, only 12 percent of sports programs are profitable and the average Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school ran a $9.44 million operating deficit two years ago according to a study by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Many universities have come to rely on donations to support their athletic programs. By promoting “amateur sports,” these donation make the donors eligible for a tax deduction. Often coming from alumni looking for a tax deduction, donations account for roughly 27 percent of revenue, more than ticket sales. If a school were to pay its players, they would lose the eligibility of a tax deduction for donations and in effect lose what one Chief Financial Officer at a FBS school estimated to be half of their donations. And don’t forget the mountain of taxes that would come out of a player’s salary.
Paying athletes would inevitably squander money. Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen predicts “wholesale bankruptcies” over the next decade if a school were to compensate their athletes. Thomas suggests that schools only compensate those who generate money, stating, “If push came to shove, a resolution would come to fruition regarding finding a system that paid college athletes accordingly.” However, schools would have to comply with Title IX, which requires equality between men’s and women’s sports.
With revenue-generating sports often being men’s teams, schools might have to pay the equal amount to a likely non-revenue-generating women’s team.
NCAA athletes are paid in education. It may be the simple, unoriginal answer, but it proves true. As a graduating senior attending college next fall, I am fully aware of the cost of education. I am paying to attend college when athletes want to be paid for going to college? For most athletes, the opportunity to play on a scholarship can save up to $250,000 in tuition costs.
The money saved is money earned.
“I am being paid in that I am on scholarship. I’m getting paid in that I don’t have to pay as much for my college education,” says Stanford University rower Simone Jacobs, who graduated from Aragon in 2012.
Athletes are being compensated in the sense that they do not have to spend thousands of dollars in tuition as a regular student does.
Not only this, but the value of a college education is priceless. Only one percent of all college athletes turn pro, making life after sports a quick reality for almost all college athletes. College graduates earn on average 85 percent more than adults with only a high school diploma according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Athletes are compensated with a college education, which tees them up for future success, and in most cases, more money. While certain athletes may receive acceptance to top universities for their athletic skill more so than their intellectual capacity, schools provide practically unlimited resources to assist their athletes in the classroom including tutors, study sessions, and well-planned daily schedules.
One might argue that many athletes do not take advantage of this and forego up to several years of college. However, more often than not, the athletes that do this become professionals right away, such as National Basketball Association (NBA) stars Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis.
No matter how you slice it, it is impossible to pay athletes fairly.
Moreover, if a player feels that he or she should be compensated for their work, they can join a money-paying league. Every sport offers an opportunity to make money without going to college. Baseball has the minor leagues, basketball has the development league, and even football has the arena league. A player cannot argue that they should be paid in college when they had the option to go make money by playing sports after graduating high school. The fact that almost all top high school athletes choose to go to college first proves that an education is worth something to them.
There is no denying that college athletes work hard and sacrifice their bodies. The NLRB ruled that scholarship football players at Northwestern have the right to unionize because of this. Football specifically is a grueling sport that gave me my fair share of injuries in high school.
Football players deserve compensation for this sacrifice, it just happens to take the form of scholarships. Not only that, but the perks of being a student-athlete are luxurious, with state-of-the-art training facilities, comfortable dorms, gourmet food, and being considered a celebrity on campus. According to Stanford triathlon athlete Ryan Schumacher, most Division I athletes even receive Nike Christmas, where they can select any two Nike items from a Nike catalog for free. Jacobs adds, “Just the perks of being a student-athlete are worth it.”
Student athletes should not be paid, but the current system could use some improvements. Colleges need to prove that academics are the first priority. University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban is currently the fourth highest paid coach in America. Rather than giving away $7 million in revenue a year to Saban, Alabama should be investing in education, such as paying revered professors and augmenting resources to help their athletes.
One of the biggest improvements that can be formed is a stipend system. Rather than a salary, athletes can have a small amount of extra money strictly for things such as flying home to see their families or going out with friends (currently not included in a scholarship). With no time to work, athletes have no chance of acquiring money needed for these activities.
While a salary is impractical and unnecessary to solve this, a small stipend can. The NCAA has started this as of last week when the Legislative Council deemed that there shall be no bans on any food amounts for its Division I member schools and their student-athletes. However, it’s doubtful that 385-pound Alabama offensive tackle Brandon Hill ever had a problem finding a meal before the rule change.
Just because Northwestern football players were granted the right to unionize does not mean now is the time to start handing out paychecks. If they want to be paid for play, they can go join a professional league. There is much less money to go around than people think. Johnny Manziel will make his money when he signs his rookie contract this summer. For now, he can be what every college athlete is: a student.
The word “student” comes first in student-athlete for a reason. College athletes are students, not employees. Not to pay. That is the answer.
