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Dr Boyce Watkins appears on the Madison Square Garden Channel after a New York Knick's game and asks whether or not college athletes should be paid. Some have argued that the Black community is being exploited by the fact that the NCAA earns more money during March Madness than the NFL and NBA earn in their entire post-season. Coaches (most of whom are not black) are signing $30 million dollar contracts, while the families of many athletes live in poverty.
This issue of paying college athletes has had it's greatest impact on the Black community, where over half of all Black NCAA football and basketball players come from poverty. In this video, Dr. Watkins speaks with an ESPN radio host about some of the financial and practical implications of paying college athletes.
There are additional factors to be considered in the NCAA's decision not to compensate college athletes. The NCAA argues that college athletes are amateurs and don't deserve to be paid. They also argue that athletes are on campus to get an education, even though NCAA graduation rates are not very high in revenue generating sports. There are many Black scholars, including Dr. Billy Hawkins at the University of Georgia, who disagree. Hawkins argues that Black male athletes are simply "Driving Ms. Daisy" by allowing the funds generated from their activities to finance other sports (mostly dominated by Whites) across campus.
Sports Illustrated Writer Andy Staples also agrees that there is a double standard for Black Male athletes. In analyzing the case of Jeremy Tyler, an athlete who chose to play overseas instead of going to college, Staples states that Tyler's decision was interpreted differently than it would have been had he been Black.
What do you think? Should college athletes be paid or should they just be happy with what they get? Does it matter that others are making millions from these players while their families are only getting a scholarship? Is there a better system that could be put into place?
Comments: (37)
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By: mike on 5/01/2009 1:13PM
I guess if black athletes are willing to study, then they should be paid to play. Also, their are white athletes in college.
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By: THINK on 5/02/2009 1:20PM
Sports are an extra-curriculum. If they want to be paid, they should play professional. Only thing a college should offer is an athletic scholarship for tuition, fees, and room/board. So be realistic and focus on getting educated first. Because sports doesn't last forever. And not everyone makes it. They can get injured and when they get old, their body would be able to do all of that anymore.
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By: triciagirl on 5/01/2009 5:42PM
All athletes should get paid if they are in a sport that generates revenue....white or black. Black athletes are hurt the most, since they are the ones who are the poorest.
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By: thetammyt on 5/01/2009 1:49PM
no, let them work for free. talent comes a dime a dozen. its enough for themto have name recogition and tv time. they were already poor and would only blow the money.
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By: Harriet on 5/01/2009 2:48PM
As someone who has student loans choking the life out of me, I ain't feeling this. "While their families get nothing but a scholarship?" Ain't no "but" in front of a FULL scholarship. Ask my mama. Get paid? An education estimated at over 100grand plus whatever the alumni wants to slide you under the table IS payment. We shouldn't even be having this conversation with such dismal graduation rates. And if the Black scholars want the Black athletes to quit driving Miss Daisy around then they should encourage them to go and play at HBCUs and take all of that money to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Problem solved.
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By: triciagirl on 5/01/2009 5:54PM
If somebody was earning 10 million a year directly from your labor, then you would want a cut of it too. The problem is that by being a regular student, you were not out making money for the school. But if you were out making millions for them and they told your mama she had to stay in the projects, I think you would be pissed. A scholarship is not fair if you are making that kind of money for them, we have to get past those stupid excuses. Now, if athletes were just regular students not making any money, then a scholarship would be fair. But they would not be invited onto the campus if they were not going to make millions of dollars off of them.
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By: Mia P on 5/01/2009 4:43PM
If you can pay the coaches millions of dollars, why not pay the players they are the one's doing all the work and hurting themself playing ball and the school is just using some of them young men to get the school notice and yes some of them are getting a free education, but some of them can use some of that money for themself and their family.
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By: kcn9971 on 5/01/2009 10:49PM
These athletes already get paid...it's called a scholarship.And who should flip the bill if they did get paid? Should it be the students that don't play sports? Would a Junior athlete make more than a Sophmore? Should they have contract rights? If your going to consider paying students, I think those who excell in Science and Mathematics should get paid. Anyboby can play in a stadium, but only a few can build them!
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By: triciagirl on 5/03/2009 1:30AM
It's obvious that you never studied economics. You don't get paid for what people think you are worth, you get paid for what you are ACTUALLY worth. That's why Miley Cyrus makes more than 1,000 school teachers, because Hannah Montana generates about 100 million dollars a year. Athletes generate billions, so their families should be paid. If math and science students could do the same consistently for their campuses, they should get paid too. The problem is that they don't.
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By: kcn9971 on 5/03/2009 7:55AM
Traciagirl, we know you work very hard at Burger King; you bring in alot of money and customers with your Whopper making skills. But, guess what, they ain't gonna pay you 10 million dollars a year!! Maybe YOU need to learn about economics!!
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