It has been a hugely disputed topic ever since the roots of college athletics back in the 1850s. When you have a billion-dollar industry like the NCAA among many other factors, the question must be asked, “Should college athletes be paid?”

It has been a tradition throughout college sports for players to play without being paid, unlike in professional sports. However, many have argued throughout college sports history that the players should be paid. After all, college sports have been almost as popular as the professionals and it is a billion-dollar industry.

On the other side of the argument, many people say a scholarship is enough, and that athletes shouldn’t be paid because it would the same as professional sports. Many people follow the saying “If you’re not going pro, you don’t get the dough.”

However, there is much more than just the fact athletes play sports for colleges that make money from merchandise, tickets, concessions, and much more. Colleges get income from those things from people who came to watch those athletes, shouldn’t they pay them at least a little? In my personal opinion, they for sure should.  

Sure you give them a free or discounted education which is enough compensation for a regular student; however, it’s not enough for a student-athlete in my opinion. 

Let’s take Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, top players at their positions in college football and Heisman Trophy contenders. Picture this: A game between Alabama and Wisconsin, a packed stadium of fans ready to see two of the best teams and players in the nation face off. In the stands, many people are wearing red, crimson, and white jerseys with the majority of them being #13 and #23. Because of all that merchandise purchased and money spent by fans going to the school, you would think that they would at least pay the athletes right? But no, not a single penny. 

While those jerseys may not have the athlete’s name on the back, it’s pretty obvious who the fans are representing when they wear it. Even though some players will go pro and make money there, fewer than two percent of the college athletes go pro which is really sad. I know the NBA is offering a G-League where players can skip college and get paid right away, but that’s only one sport and it’s not fair to the athletes of other sports.

In conclusion, college athletes should be paid, and there’s really no question about it. At least in my eyes, this is a robbery of the players by the NCAA. While I can’t really make a change myself, I speak for many others when I say the NCAA should step it up.