Athletes Should Not Be Paid For Their Skill - 1703 Words

Division I intercollegiate athletics is no easy feat. Whether it is basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, or gymnastics, athletes devotion and sacrifice is innumerable. Athletes spend countless hours throughout the year training and performing in competition. According to the NCAA bylaw 17.1, athletes can only spend 20 hours a week with a maximum of 4 hours a day on athletically related activities. This rule excludes pre-season and post-season training which account for the other 50% of the year. Although most athletes get enjoyment out of simply playing, some athletes feel they should be paid for their skill. There is an arising controversy regarding athletes not being paid for the amount of commitment they put into their sport. While†¦show more content†¦There have been many scandals where athletes were arrested for betting on sports events and fantasy sports. For example, in 1997 two basketball players from Arizona state, Stevin Smith and Isaac Burton, pleaded guilty to point shaving on four home games. These two players intentional missed shots and cut points in games for money. They made almost up to $100,000 from point shaving. Ultimately, money made them lose sight of the purpose of playing college athletics which is for enjoyment. Instead of playing for another two years, Stevin Smith and Isaac Burton served a year in prison. If athletes are paid, more athletes will face the same fate as Stevin Smith and Isaac Burton because they will be able to bet without the consequence of the NCAA rule. Although the rule will not longer be in place, betting on sports is illegal in every state except Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana. Therefore, the NCAA would face repercussions because more athletes will be arrested on gambling charges. In turn, this will jeopardize the integrity of the intercollegiate sports. Instead of being seen as respectable and admirable athletes, intercollegiate sports will be seen as full of money-hungry athletes. Although athletes help generate money for athletic programs and institutions, money distributed to athletes would limit the amount of money available for other necessities. Many people believe athletes deserve a share of the money they generate through the sale of