Should Student Athletes be Paid?
The U-Conn. Huskies’ star guard, Shabazz Napier, told reporters that sometimes he goes to bed “starving” because he can’t afford food, reports The Washington Post’s Soraya Nadia McDonald.
That’s a sad statement, considering Napier was named most outstanding player after leading his team to the national NCAA title.
Napier’s comments about being hungry came as he was talking to reporters about the recent ruling by the National Labor Relations Board that college football players on full scholarship at Northwestern University are school employees. It was a move that has sparked a debate about paying college athletes. Connecticut lawmakers are thinking about introducing legislation that would allow U-Conn. athletes to unionize, McDonald writes.
Napier told reporters: “We as students athletes get utilized for what we do so well, and we’re definitely blessed to get a scholarship to our universities. But at the end of the day, that doesn’t cover everything. We do have hungry nights that we don’t have enough money to get food in. Sometimes money is needed.”
Having been a college student with little funds and now the mother of a freshman at the University of Maryland, I believe Napier meant that he didn’t have money to satisfying late-evening or night cravings when the dining halls are closed.
Nonetheless, point taken. The schools make big money on their athletes, and they should be able to share the wealth in addition to any scholarships they get.
“I don’t see myself as so much of an employee, but when you see your jersey getting sold, it may not have your last name on it, but when you see your jersey getting sold, to some credit, you feel like you want something in return,” Napier said.
“The fracas over athlete compensation has turned into something of a March Madness sideshow,” McDonald writes.
US News and World Report, in their Debate Club feature, asked experts what they thought. Their opinions ranged from you betcha to no, the athletes are already paid with their education.
For information on how to bring Michelle Singletary to speak at your next event, visit PremiereSpeakers.com/Michelle_Singletary.
Source: Washington Post