Clubhouse Chatter: Should college athletes get paid?
What our Sports staff has to say while waiting for the games to resume.
If colleges reap huge amounts from athletics, and coaches receive contracts in the millions, I have no problem with college athletes getting their cut.
- Dave Oberhelman
No. But some should definitely receive a stipend based on financial need. Have every athlete fill out a Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) and then award up to $50 a week based on each family's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number. Many kids could use this money for basic expenses during their time at college. I'm not for adding a salary on top of the full-ride scholarship, however. Start paying athletes (and which ones by the way?) and watch already sky-high tuition costs go to another level. The free education (valued at between $150,000 and $250,000 in many cases) is enough.
- John Dietz
The devil is in the details. Would athletes in nonrevenue sports be paid as much as athletes in revenue sports? Would they be paid at all? How would coaches' salaries be affected? Regardless, when the highest-paid state employee is the football or men's basketball coach at the flagship state university while their players are struggling financially, there's a problem.
- Orrin Schwarz
Yes, college athletes should be paid. Who gets how much will always be a sticking point. That is a small matter to work out considering these athletes help generate billions of dollars in television and other revenues. Why should the coach be the only one on the field making bank? Fans may appreciate Dabo Swinney, but they tune in to see Trevor Lawrence.
- Jerry Fitzpatrick