Over the Thanksgiving weekend, college athletes from 118 schools will be playing in NCAA Division One football games. While there will be a winner crowned in every game, the NCAA and its sponsors might be the true winners of the day, not the players on the football teams.
These student athletes are restricted from making any profits off of their athletic talents and celebrity while the NCAA is making close to $6 billion a year. The players are not paid by their schools or the NCAA and are prohibited from making money off of sponsorships or selling their autographs or memorabillia.
College athletes nationwide risk suffering severe injuries on a daily basis when they participate in practices or games. If a player is injured, the player is solely responsible for the medical expenses and receives no financial support from the NCAA or the school.
Georgia University Running Back Todd Gurley was indefinitely suspended on Oct. 9 for violating NCAA rules on the sale of memorabilia. Gurley allegedly received money for autographs, memorabilia and the use of his likeness and as a result, sat out four games, ending his hopes of winning the Heisman trophy.
Gurley’s suspension sparked debates on whether or not college athletes should be paid by the NCAA to play. Some say that the players should receive a salary while others believe that it is enough that the players are getting a scholarship for their education.
I believe players have a right to make money, but they should not expect it from the NCAA. The NCAA, a non-profit organization, regulates over 450,000 athletes at 1,281 schools. However, only football and basketball generate a large amount of income while other sports, such as field hockey, wrestling, track and field or swimming, generally do not attract the large attendance and media coverage the money-making sports do. It is unrealistic and unfair for the NCAA to decide to pay its football and basketball stars while neglecting athletes in other sports.
Like Gurley, players should look towards private sponsors, autographs and other memorabilia to make some money. The NCAA has a right to say that it is paying its players through scholarships to perform during events, but it should not be able to restrain players from profiting from fame. If there are people willing to pay for their signatures, then the players should be allowed to sign as many items as they choose.
The NCAA’s regulations on players receiving benefits are archaic and completely out of line. Many players come from poor backgrounds and although they have their lives taken care of through scholarships, they should have an opportunity to provide for their families back home. The players need to get together and fight to revise these rules if they ever want to see change.
However, I do not believe that Gurley or any past offenders should have their actions justified because the rules are unfair. Rules are rules and they need to be followed. The players need to unionize in order to make a difference, but individually they are only hurting themselves. Gurley lost his chance to win college football’s most prestigious award, even possibly hurting his draft stock and future salary.
Last year, the Northwestern University Football team’s players were deemed employees of the school and formed a union. The union helped the athletes obtain better compensation and medical care for injuries. College athletes need a union that will represent all of the players from every school, not smaller unions that represent individual schools. Only then will the players get the compensation and respect they deserve.
If the NCAA allows its players to profit off of their autographs and memorabilia, then the players will be able to make money without seeking salaries from the NCAA, a win-win situation for both parties.