18) At larger, more successful universities, athletes also receive a tutoring, life skill training, and even nutritional advice that can value between "fifty thousand to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year."(Dorfman par. 4) Along with the outstanding resources, these athletes are receiving the best education money can buy. Since you cannot barter this knowledge for mere pension, higher education is often assumed to have no value for athletes. With removing this idea of pension for knowledge, the athletes still receive expert coaching that could lead to a professional career, on-campus housing, frequent meals, non-uniform clothing, medical consultation, access to state-of-the-art training facilities, and professional development for absolutely no cost. .
Another major reason why collegiate athletes should not be paid is Title IX. Title IX requires comparable treatment of women when it comes to collegiate athletics, and the so-called "three-prong test" for compliance. The three requirement areas are Participation, Athletic Financial Assistance and Treatment of Athletes. The three-prong test, which falls under Participation, basically measures the opportunities for female vs. male athletes. Another requirement for compliance deals with Athletic Financial Assistance. The only express requirement under this section is that scholarships be allocated proportionately in accordance with the number of female vs. male athletes. The bottom line for increasing scholarships to cover cost-of-attendance is if scholarships are increased to cost-of-attendance, they will have to be increased for all student athletes in order to stay in compliance with this requirement. The flaw with increasing scholarships to cover cost-of-attendance is that it might actually disadvantage the student athletes financially. "Currently, a full scholarship student-athlete with a COA of say $20,000 and a full athletic grant-in-aid of $17,000 would be able to receive an additional $5500 in Pell Grant if eligible, bringing his/her total scholarship/financial aid package to $22,500 without being in violation of federal law.
