Paying College Athletes

Paying College Athletes September 7, 2013 Paying college athletes is not the answer. Time Magazine has a major expose out on why paying college athletes might be the future of college athletics. We at Ivy Coach dont happen to agree with this, but well entertain their points so that we can respond to them. Essentially, the argument presented in the piece by Sean Gregory entitled Its Time to Pay College Athletes is that why shouldnt college athletes get paid if they can? Why should the NCAA have regulations about this? Why cant they get some cash for, say, signing autographs or endorsing a brand of toothpaste? The article references a specific instance in which Texas AM quarterback Johnny Manziel was accused of accepting money in exchange for signing autographs. Adrian Peterson of the NFLs Minnesota Vikings believes that Manziel should have been allowed to accept money without jeapordizing his collegiate football career. Hes performing a service. He should get paid for it. At least thats what Adrian Peterson believes. A major argument in support of paying college athletes is that these players may never get to play pro. Maybe theyre not good enough. Few are. Maybe theyll get injured while playing college ball and, because of this injury, not get the opportunity to get paid as a pro later. We understand this and we do sympathize with college athletes who dont get to turn pro because of a college injury or series of injuries. But to pay college athletes while theyre in college would create division among college athletes and non-athletes. It would ruin what is so great about collegiate sports clean competition where its about pride and its about representing your university. At least thats what its supposed to be about. Paying college athletes isnt the answer and this isnt a problem. If athletes want to get paid, dont play college sports. Go pro. Play overseas. Its that simple.