Athletes Deserve More Compensation!
To Whom It May Concern:
There is an injustice in college sports these days. The athletes who go to schools on scholarship are being treated unfairly. These young men who are a part of Division I football and basketball teams are considered “employees” of their respective schools (Cooper). According to McCormick, “under federal labor laws [these athletes are] entitled to form unions and negotiate wages, hours and working conditions.” Not only that, but these two collegiate sports are a main source of revenue for each school they are at. If a football team makes it to a bowl game or the national championship, they are looking to bring in millions in extra cash as a bonus for making it there through television contracts. Do the players who get their teams there in the first place not deserve a part of the spoils for all of their hard work? “These young men are laboring under very strict and arduous conditions” while being expected to go to school at the same time and perform well there (McCormick). It is impossible for athletes to manage everything they have on their plates. According to Cooper, “the NCAA limits athletic scholarships to one year, renewable for a total of four years of playing” making it very easy for a coach to drop an athlete’s scholarship because they did not perform well in school or even because they just pissed off their coach. For many of the athletes playing college sports, those scholarships are their lifelines because, without them, they will be unable to pay for school themselves. Something needs to change in the system because the way it is right now, many young athletes are having their talent taken advantage of for major profit with no compensation.
Sincerely,
Michael Brown
Ex quarterback at the University of Texas
Word Count: 307
There is an injustice in college sports these days. The athletes who go to schools on scholarship are being treated unfairly. These young men who are a part of Division I football and basketball teams are considered “employees” of their respective schools (Cooper). According to McCormick, “under federal labor laws [these athletes are] entitled to form unions and negotiate wages, hours and working conditions.” Not only that, but these two collegiate sports are a main source of revenue for each school they are at. If a football team makes it to a bowl game or the national championship, they are looking to bring in millions in extra cash as a bonus for making it there through television contracts. Do the players who get their teams there in the first place not deserve a part of the spoils for all of their hard work? “These young men are laboring under very strict and arduous conditions” while being expected to go to school at the same time and perform well there (McCormick). It is impossible for athletes to manage everything they have on their plates. According to Cooper, “the NCAA limits athletic scholarships to one year, renewable for a total of four years of playing” making it very easy for a coach to drop an athlete’s scholarship because they did not perform well in school or even because they just pissed off their coach. For many of the athletes playing college sports, those scholarships are their lifelines because, without them, they will be unable to pay for school themselves. Something needs to change in the system because the way it is right now, many young athletes are having their talent taken advantage of for major profit with no compensation.
Sincerely,
Michael Brown
Ex quarterback at the University of Texas
Word Count: 307