The typical college athlete wakes up at the crack of dawn, has an individual training session, goes to class until 3 to 4 pm, followed by a team practice session, mandatory study hall, and then finishes homework or studies for a test. Now, factor in meals, studying, and a part time job if possible. According to Forbes Magazine, "a typical Division I college athlete devotes 43.3 hours per week to their sport, that is 3.3 more hours than the typical American work week" (Forbes, 2014). Instead of getting what they're worth, the players receive athletic scholarships that don't cover the full cost of attending school, leaving many of them living below the poverty line, says the report, "The Price of Poverty in Big Time College Sport" (Huffington Post, 2011). With collegiate athletes working more than the average American citizen, and receiving scholarships that don't cover full school costs, they should be paid for their services. .
The point of this is that a scholarship doesn't equal cash in a player's pocket. Even with any type of scholarship, college athletes are typically dead broke. But the top NCAA executives make about $1 million per year. NCAA executives are not the only ones making money off these college athletes. The organization itself rakes in large revenue each year. "Recently, the NCAA and CBS signed a $10.8 billion television agreement over 14 years" (Huffington Post, 2014). The NCAA makes more money than the president, but is also considered a non-profit company. The second set of individuals that make money off of athletes are their own coaches. Many coaches earn at least $1 million per year to coach one of the major sports like baseball, basketball, or football at a school. These coaches also receive bonuses for getting to the playoffs, winning championships, or breaking school records. Athletes receive no bonus for breaking records, winning championships, or getting to the playoffs.
