Among many student-athletes today, a controversy arises involving compensation. The question is, should a student athlete get paid for playing a college level sport? Many athletes complain about money and how they do not think they get enough for playing a sport, but they are forgetting that they are being fairly rewarded with a discounted, or free, education. People hear athletes getting anonymous gifts from the alumni and from numerous different sponsors for their athletic ability. In the world of sports, in this case college sports, the primary motive for athletes to play a sport is for money rather than for the love of the game. This incentive started with the professional sports and began to corrupt the college level.
No matter how many people feel that athletes should not be paid for their ability, there are just as many people whom feel they should. In the Sports Press, Ben Sylvan states reasons why people think a student athlete should be compensated. Some of those reasons include; people feel that often times the university uses these athletes as billboards for their school. Also, the universities are “selling” the athletes’ names and accomplishments for the schools own recognition

While some have the same thoughts as Sylvan, a large number of people disagree with what he believes. I, along with many others, feel that they are already being fairly compensated. The athletes complain about not getting enough money for sports, but what they do not realize is that they are getting so much more out of the sport than just the money. The NCAA establishes rules and regulations for universities and students to follow, and one of the most important rules is that student athletes should not receive any money to play sports. Another rule, or guideline, is that universities and students are allowed only scholarships towards housing. Spending money or any other type of cash would result in the corruption of college sports. Sylvan argued the point that getting a scholarship is the same as getting money to play for a sport, but no one finds anything wrong with that. I disagree with Sylvan. A scholarship is far different from receiving gifts, such as money, jewelry, ect. When a scholarship is given, you do not see that money, it goes right towards your education. The athletes should realize that they are given something far more valuable than money; they are given an education. They are getting scholarships from the University to play a sport that they love, and an education to prepare themselves for the outside world. Some athletes would never think of attending college if it was not for the athletic scholarship they are rewarded. One main thing that student athletes do not consider is the amount of money that it takes to run a coll