Column development

Frank DeFord made a good point about the issue of paying college athletes. He said that the debate needs to stop worrying about paying all college athletes, and worry about paying college football and basketball players. It is no secret that these are two of the most popular sports for Division I universities. These programs bring in millions and millions of dollars to their universities. For example, the two teams competing in the NCAA National Championship game earned $23.6 million. That is just for being in the game. Another example, the 2014-2015 Clemson football team created $44 million in revenue for the university. The players who are referred to as “amateurs” see none of the money in return. These athletes put in countless hours of hard work and dedication to play well to win games and make money for the university. A lot of the time players don’t even do it for the love of the game. Many are apathetic and don’t even enjoy their sport, but they simply do it because it is what is paying for their schooling. He also makes a great observation that it isn’t so much whether it could be done but more like if it should be done. It’s about the morality of the issue. ‘”Nobody cares if college kids who are actors or musicians or writers or dancers can make a buck using their talent.” Why is an athlete any different?’