Blacks are more likely to watch sports because there is a large representation of them and they are shown in a positive, glamorous and respectful image. The professional athlete serves as a symbol of upward mobility and financial security, something these young males desire to have. The problems lies in the way of how the media depicts sports as an avenue for a professional career when in fact it is a long shot that one will ever achieve greatness on a professional level. Blacks who live in poverty are accustomed to watching a great deal of television and Bierman and others believe that blacks who are less educated begin to blur realism from fantasy and may not be savvy enough to make the distinction between the two. Those from a higher socioeconomic status tend to seek out reality in their teen years while those from lower socioeconomic status tend to stay fixated on their fantasies.
College Athletes Should Be Compensated For many colleges and universities athletics programs are a major source of revenue for its institutions. These institutions rely on their athletes to keep the notoriety and popularity of their institutions name. Since, college’s athletes are supposed to be the best at the sports they play, why are they not being compensated? Some might say a student athlete’s scholarship for a free education is compensation enough. However, there are some that say the amount of money institutions make from its athletes is so great that student athletes should be given a kickback.
On the other hand, it is my opinion that student athletes should not be paid; because, scholarships usually cover a big deal of expenses, it would be unfair to their peers, and most colleges and money could change the way a
With fewer workers they force their employees to work harder with the same pay. This saves them time and money but “[t]he ethic of decency has been upstaged by the ethic of success” (Shames 78). They are stealing people’s homes and belongings with smiles on their faces and richer because of it. People are losing sight of “We the People” and replacing it with personal gain. Americans were planted with the seed of greed when they flourished from this land and are continually pursuing that need.
But on the other hand, I understand that in today’s regime, sports has become a career choice, and how well one performs determines their life’s salary. My point is that nowadays, sports have become a game of money rather than a game of fun and enjoyment and this proves to be detrimental to all the values
Wear and Tear on Professional Athletes Many individuals think that becoming a professional athlete would be one of the greatest achievements/jobs that they could ever accomplish. Not only do professional athletes get paid a very handsome salary but they get to enjoy the luxury of having a sport as a career title. However, most people do not release how much more strain and stress is put on one’s body by becoming a professional athlete. Professional athletes are expected to push their bodies past the extreme, to have potentialy unhealthy diets, and may have to face many injuries. One of the leading causes of athletes shorter live span is injuries.
Money drives the desire for so many of the players to play at higher levels. Because of this, huge pay-off controversies have been uncovered by schools who are trying to get a recruitment edge. I believe that a great injustice is being done to these athletes across Division I football, and steps need to be taken to reward the players that graduate from these universities rather than dropping out or leaving to play professionally. Michael Lewis, esteemed author known for his writings on sports economics, compares NCAA football players to “serfs”, the lowest rung on the feudal system of medieval times. These serfs spent their lives laboring for the good of the rich,
Many believe that a problem with paying college athletes is that their maturity level is not to the point where they can handle a large sum of money. It is argued that the athletes earning this money are already apathetic in their studies and granting them money to play would just encourage them to ignore school even more. “Already scholarship athletes are well off compared to other students on campus, as they receive tuition, room and board, and tutoring. Giving up on the idea of student-athletes at universities would be throwing in the towel.” (Bienen) The argument of a collegiate level student-athlete already receiving benefits in their college life for their talents is used quite often. However, the average college athlete isn’t given
Let’s face it, sports are a staple in today’s world. Because of this, I believe that athletes deserve to get paid as much as they do today. One reason I strongly believe that athletes deserve the kind of pay they get today is because of the role they play in the community. I think that so many people have the mindset that athletes just throw or kick a ball around every day of their lives and that’s not the case. However, I will admit that some of the work the athletes do in the community is not made public and is what you would call “behind the scenes”.
The NCAA is a greedy organization that chooses to exploit gifted athletes. They falsely refer to the athletes as “student- athletes.” The main priority of an athlete is excelling in his sport, which generates money for both the school and the NCAA (745). Therefore, an accurate label is “athlete-student,” or better yet, “slave”. One of the “incentives” for athletes in college sports is the concept of a “free” college education in return for playing a sport at the university level. The impression one gets is that the student-athlete plays a sport and receives a quality education.