After years of college athletes being unable to turn a profit while playing for NCAA teams, 2021 saw the implementation of NIL rights, (“name, image and likeness”), to these athletes. Most people are likely familiar with one of the biggest beneficiaries, Livvy Dunne, who is estimated to have made millions of dollars in partnerships and brand deals (Sports Pro). While this new legislation has been massively profitable for the minority of athletes who have any degree of celebrity status, it begs the question: should their peers be similarly compensated?
Should college athletes be paid?
From the inception of the NCAA, receiving direct payment from their institutions was strictly prohibited for student-athletes, in the interest of keeping college sports “amateur.” That is to say, student-athletes are not meant to evoke the likeness of professional athletes, who were salaried, but instead purely collegiate. However, NIL compensation was once similarly disallowed, suggesting that these terms are not set in stone.
Many will perhaps raise the point that student-athletes often enjoy athletic scholarships and in this sense have already received compensation through a discount on their tuition. It is important to recognize that only Division I and II colleges offer scholarships, while Division III colleges do not. Additionally, a very small portion receive full-ride scholarships, the vast majority being the recipients of partial scholarships.
In 2023, the NCAA reported having earned roughly $1.3 billion in revenue. Student-athletes may benefit from the notoriety that this coverage provides, but they will never see a cent of the money that they have generated for the NCAA through broadcasting and media surrounding their respective sports. While I am of the opinion that the revision of regulations surrounding NIL rights and athletes was a step in the right direction, I think the lucrative funds the NCAA produces could be redistributed to the athletes who generate this money for them.
Admittedly, I am no economist, nor intimately acquainted with NCAA sports. I realize that many problematic consequences could be raised by colleges compensating their athletes; wealthier colleges would benefit considerably compared to those with less funding, for one. However, the rigorous schedule of many college athletes makes it akin to a full-time job, preventing them from seeking employment. As previously stated, the majority of these athletes are not fully funded by scholarships, which could leave many in a tough situation, having to worry about tuition but being unable to have the time to work a job.
Most college athletes will never go on to become professional athletes, leaving them with years of their lives heavily devoted to their sport just to never experience any material gain for their efforts. Though they generate profit for their institutions and the NCAA, unless they are one of the rare few who can bring in money off of NIL brand deals, athletes do not benefit from this dedication. I think it is worth asking: why shouldn’t they?