The history of college sports has seemed to have created a booming industry of profit and franchises. These profits and franchises are supposedly being put back into the school, but what about athletes. Although for many years people have not considered paying these athletes for their talents, other than at the pro level, this a new day in age. Society has new rules as well as costs that can truly affect the student athlete. The NCAA has created rules and regulations to stricken the athletes from certain behaviors and necessities of life, like money. As a college student I have particularly become friends with a lot of athletes who are struggling to survive because of money problems. It is a privilege for them to have a free education, but people fail to realize that these athletes have devoted their lives to their sports so they have earned their rights to a free education. The NCAA has created a rule that restricts the athletes from making outside money because it will be considered as a violation of the extra benefits rule (ESPN.com). If a student is on a full paid scholarship the NCAA says that, "his/her books, room and board, fees, and tuition will be paid (Division I)." It may sound like a good deal, but what about clothing and food. Because of certain life necessity I propose that college athletes should be paid. .
On November 17, 2002 the University of Alabama was charged with public infractions. In other words, they were charged with paying the athletes under the table. The NCAA charged the University previously in 1995, but this time they were finally said that, "the violations involved the provision or offer of significant benefits to enrolled or prospective student-athletes or their high-school coaches by university coaches or representatives of the university's athletic interests (Yeager 1)." In this case, if the athletes were paid this rule would have not been broken.