By: ack Peng, Website Manager
Playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (N.C.A.A) and eventually playing a sport professionally, is a goal for many high school athletes. An even greater accomplishment is receiving a scholarship to play for a university, who pays for the student’s tuition for their athletic talent. However, these student-athletes do not get paid directly from the colleges. This system has caused controversy nationwide for these players, who make millions of dollars for the N.C.A.A. through endorsements and viewership. Yet, they do not receive a penny in return, despite risking a serious injury that could jeopardize their athletic career. Recently, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, signed the Fair Pay to Play Act. This bill forces the N.C.A.A. to pay their athletes for the use of their names, images, and likenesses, and also allow players to have contracts and endorsements outside of the N.C.A.A. to go into effect in 2023. The Fair Pay to Play Act is essential for promoting equity in college sports; college athletes make millions for the N.C.A.A. and put their bodies on the line for a sport they do not even directly get paid for.
The N.C.A.A. made $900 million just off March Madness last season, and since then, their revenue has continued to skyrocket. For example, Zion Williamson, a former basketball player for Duke University, has made a significant amount of money for the N.C.A.A. Williamson is famed for being the next superstar and is predicted to dominate the National Basketball Association (NBA) very soon. During one of his most anticipated games against the University of North Carolina, Williamson injured his knee in the first minute of the game; he was out for multiple weeks, and it prompted much criticism for the N.C.A.A. about not paying their athletes. After his injury, many advised Williamson to go straight to the NBA and not play another college game in case of injury.
Celebrities have spoken on this subject as well. For example, superstar National Basketball Association (NBA) player Lebron James posted, “ This law is a GAME CHANGER. College athletes can responsibly get paid for what they do and the billions they create.” James, who skipped college to go straight to the NBA of high school, is also against the N.C.A.A. system and wishes that collegiate players were properly. This debate has transcended into politics; when Vermont Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders responded, “College athletes are workers. Pay them.” As this bill was being debated California Senator Nancy Skinner criticized how the NCAA handles complaints. “[The N.C.A.A.] has a long history of creating commissions or working groups to look at issues, and then they ignore their commission’s recommendations.” Clearly, this topic has to be addressed nationwide if it seems the N.C.A.A. is neglecting its athletes’ wishes for a salary.
The N.C.A.A. is famed nationwide for tournaments such as “March Madness” and “College World Series”. In recent years, they have made billions off these events, while the athletes participating don’t receive any sort of compensation before they go professional. Because of this, the Fair Pay to Play Act needs to go nationwide; we need proper equity within college sports.
