Collegiate Athletes: Not to Be Paid

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             College athletes hold a strong and influential reputation by receiving tremendous publicity and often times in the spotlight as a representation of the university or college. Class-consciousness has even broke out into this topic, which is "recognizing that the key relationship between two classes is their different interests and conditions of living"(Lanning 2007). In results college athletes are becoming much more vocal in asking for a bigger slice of the pie during their needs at college. This could include of athletes just speaking up and using their voice or players band together to fight for what they believe in. Recently found in the media, former University of Connecticut men's basketball star, Shabazz Napier, made the statement of going to bed starving. His claim was that student athletes did not receive enough aid or benefits at the level in which they perform and succeed. He brought up the topic of social mobility and how a lot of athletes are from lower class levels and do not have extra money to be spending for food, clothes, etc. According to the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, "social mobility is defended as the movement of individuals, families, and groups from one social position to another and relates to a present to a past position". This topic brought light to the subject of where is the line drawn for athletes in terms of the benefits, compensation, and system an athlete is to receive. These so called benefits are however given to majority of athletes, especially at a high level. Thousands of dollars are invested towards athletic programs each year, to help and provide for student athletes nationwide. There is still an ongoing argument within NCAA rules and regulations that players are not getting compensated enough for all the revenue they bring in. .
             The NCAA has rules for all athletes and when the athlete signs their National Letter of Intent, they are signing a contract that says that they are going to play for a university in exchange for a scholarship that is to be applied to their education costs attached to being enrolled.