Should college athletes get Paid ? Jadeveon Clowney says Yes

Betallsports · Feb 13, 2014

Former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, expected to be a top-five pick in the NFL draft, said he might have stayed in school for another year if he were paid for being a college athlete.

<cite>Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</cite>Former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney believes college athletes should be paid.

"Yes. Having to take care of my family, it would have made a difference if I'd have gotten paid," Clowney said on "Jim Rome" on Showtime. "If I would have had the chance to take care of my family through college, I would have probably stayed in college."
Clowney, widely regarded as the top-ranked prospect for May's draft despite being limited to three sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss in his junior season, believes college athletes should be compensated financially.

"I think so," Clowney said. "They are selling our jerseys with our numbers and making money off of ticket sales, so I think college athletes should get paid."

The 6-foot-6, 274-pound Clowney was held to three-year lows in sacks and tackles for loss in 2013. But he overcame some early speed bumps to earn first-team All-SEC honors a year after being voted unanimously to the All-America team and finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.

milwaukeemike · Feb 13, 2014

i agree with him wholeheartedly. the argument a lot of people make that they are getting a free education is silly, most of these guys can't use that college education for anything even if they graduate.

the coaches gets millions while the players get nothing, i never heard of anyone going to a football game to watch a coach

Betallsports · Feb 13, 2014

milwaukee mike said:
i agree with him wholeheartedly. the argument a lot of people make that they are getting a free education is silly, most of these guys can't use that college education for anything even if they graduate.

the coaches gets millions while the players get nothing, i never heard of anyone going to a football game to watch a coach

You make some good points there Mike. I was always against it... but I would have to agree with you

ChrisParadise · Feb 13, 2014

If he needs money he could get a job instead of playing in the yard all day. Billions of other people go to work every day that would rather be running around playing a game tossing a ball around chasing each other.

HacheMan · Feb 13, 2014

I used to think that maybe they should receive a few thousand a year to help them out financially.

But then I realized two things:

1. They're aready getting compensated/paid with a scholarship to free schooling, while also giving them their shot at living their dream and making it professionally.

2. It's not fair to other students.
If a school is going to pay their athletes, then they also need to pay all other students who have come to the school via scholarship for excelling in other areas.

NickPappagiorgio · Feb 13, 2014

Disagree with you Hache, other students don't make their schools millions of dollars. Yes they should get a stipend of some sort, im not smart enough to have a fair plan for all schools though

Defying · Feb 13, 2014

The reason I would disagree with the argument that they should be paid is effect it would have on college athletics as a whole. I think it would hurt them as if you pay football, you gotta pay them all. Many of the other programs survive because of the income football generates... So even if you just pay the big time atheltics, it still takes dollars away from these non profitable sports....

The one thing I feel strongly about is the sale of individual player jerseys.... A good portion of these sales should go to the individual... so the star athletes would make some cash that way. I guess it could be pooled together and distributed to the team, but that wouldn't be much pay.

CarolinaKid · Feb 13, 2014

it amazing, use to be you go to college to get a education, now you go 1 year to go into pro sports....no way should they get paid.they getting a free education if they are smart enough to keep their asses in school, because pro sports dont last forever and most of these babies are not smart enough to keep their money after their pro job is up..................

GoSooners · Feb 13, 2014

Despite the big money in college football, half of the athletic departments are operating in the red. Paying athletes would make it an uneven playing field since some schools would be able to pay athletes and some wouldn't. Besides, no matter which side your on, I doubt if they would be able to work around Title IX. Which means if the men get paid, all of the women athletes also have to get paid.

StackAddict · Feb 13, 2014

milwaukee mike said:
i agree with him wholeheartedly. the argument a lot of people make that they are getting a free education is silly, most of these guys can't use that college education for anything even if they graduate.

the coaches gets millions while the players get nothing, i never heard of anyone going to a football game to watch a coach

Are you serious, a free education is silly?? Most students would kill to go through 4 years of college and not have 100k in student loans. These big cry babies are trading their athletic ability for a education. Dont blame the system because they choose not to take advantage of it and go rapeing girls instead of doing homework or studying for finals. And when they do get busted for something who is there to bail them out and make sure all the charges get dismissed? Is it Mom and Dad (if you can find Dad) ... NOPE, Its the school that bails them out and make sure things get swept under the largest rug they can find.

ckid said:
it amazing, use to be you go to college to get a education, now you go 1 year to go into pro sports....no way should they get paid.they getting a free education if they are smart enough to keep their asses in school, because pro sports dont last forever and most of these babies are not smart enough to keep their money after their pro job is up..................

+1

shdw01 · Feb 13, 2014

I don't mind paying the athletes but as others have pointed out there are obstacles. One being that most schools rely on this money for both their athletics program and other things. The school ain't just giving up money they currently don't have to. These payments would end up being passed along to those buying tickets and boosters. I'm sure they will not be happy. Secondly the equality factor. A top golfer won't bring in much but he would have to be paid.

I say make it correlated to their individual value. Give them a small % of jersey sales so even the kicker or softball pitcher has the opportunity to make money but realistically will not take money away from the school. This way only the elite athletes will get $ and those are really the only ones that should get $.

KingofNicotine · Feb 13, 2014

Get rid of all the college football programs that don't generate money. Leave only top teams that are actually in the profit. Pay the athletes to play. Everyone else is making money off their hard work.

shdw01 · Feb 13, 2014

KingofNicotine said:
Get rid of all the college football programs that don't generate money. Leave only top teams that are actually in the profit. Pay the athletes to play. Everyone else is making money off their hard work.

There are so many kids that play after high school either for scholarships or love of the game that you are now saying cannot play or go to school? Division 1-AA, etc.

Hamilbet · Feb 13, 2014

Forget the fact they get 6 figure educations (if they even take advantage of the educational system)... They are also get the best in physical training, football based skills, nutritionists, and god knows what ever top of the line preparation that is NEEDED to make it in the NFL. Those figures would run into the millions if a non-collegiate athlete wanted to prepare for the NFL.

Defying · Feb 13, 2014

KingofNicotine said:
Get rid of all the college football programs that don't generate money. Leave only top teams that are actually in the profit. Pay the athletes to play. Everyone else is making money off their hard work.

terrible.

Remember College is amateur athletics... For more athletes this is there final chance to compete at a high level (regardless if it is FCS or AA or whatever)
There is an argument to be made about colleges profiting from the individuals, but they shouldn't be paid just to play. That is already a job title for that, Professional Athlete

rolltide · Feb 13, 2014

milwaukee mike said:
most of these guys can't use that college education for anything even if they graduate.

:think2:

scottcarter · Feb 13, 2014

i say keep it like it is. why fix something that isn't broken. I say that if you do pay them in college, the talent will be watered down for the pros because so many will not have that hunger.

Knightrofins · Feb 13, 2014

They have free tuition (will they take advantage of it is the question)
They have a free place to live
They have free food.
On road trips, they get plenty of "food money"
If they make a bowl game, they get plenty of free swag
If these guys can take advantage of their free education and get any kind of degree, they will have a better chance at landing their first job over the average student b/c they played a sport.

Cant an athlete from a lower income family receive some financial aid as well as a scholarship?

And yes, football or mens hoops could be a big money maker for the school but those funds also pay for every other sport in the red. soccer, track, volleyball, water polo, (insert "small sport" here) most likely is losing money.

Jstack34 · Feb 13, 2014

The schools sell jerseys, tickets, food at games, etc etc. but they all say they are not making money. Where is all the money going? TV deals for broadcasting the games, etc.

You can't compare them to regular students, these kids put their body on the line to make the university money. They are travelling all the time, training year round, etc.

I don't know how you would control the spending and things would probably turn sour, but it seems like its a bunch of old guys paying coaches and making money off kids

seldomseen · Feb 13, 2014

He could always have gotten a job. Most people would kill for the opportunities that these guys get. I guess free education, free meals, and free board isn't enough. Even if universities did pay the argue would shift to "if were paid better" or "I can't support whoever with this pay". I always wondered if we did pay college athletics how would we determine the rate? Would football players make more because they generate more revenue? It seems that if all college athlets were paid equal it opens up a whole other door.