College athletes should not be paid because playing the game is a privilege, not a right. .
An additional opposition to as why college athletes shouldn't be paid is because the main goal is to earn a degree. Tommy Amaker, former Duke star, says he never felt like an employee and says it was incredible to even get his education paid for at such a quality school. Many athletes are receiving high quality education at no or a fraction of the cost. They receive scholarships to decrease their financial burdens and therefore should not be paid for playing the sport. The players are being paid by education being their currency in correlation of their talent level. Instead of paying the athletes a better job is needed to encourage them to finish and utilize their degree. Not only do they learn in the classroom but they also learn through the sport in which they play. They learn skills such as teamwork, dedication, and hard work that will stay with them throughout their lifetime. This opportunity is something that normal college students would not be able to receive. All in all, players should not be paid because they need to focus on getting their degree and playing is a privilege.
Further opposition as to why student athletes should not receive money to play is because they are already receiving discounted or free tuition. Most athletes who play in college are scouted from high school and are offered a discounted education in order to utilize their skills. This should be enough of a payment. Meanwhile, many students who are not athletes do not get the same discount on tuition or the other benefits these athletes receive as being a part of the team. Athletes receive more than the average student such as, game meals, expensive quality clothing, and special attention tutoring. Players get numerous pairs of shoes, shirts, sweats, jackets, shorts, etc. and can even pocket some of the housing allowance if their housing is less than the amount they receive (Walker).