I once was a college sports fan. Way back when Patrick Ewing used to patrol the lane at Georgetown and the Big East was full of beast teams, I was a fan. As I got older I began turning away from the collegiate game because of the player turnover rate. Players in the NCAA were no longer staying for 4 years and it became harder and harder to identify with a team. I didn’t attend St. John’s University so what connection did I really have to their team if I couldn’t identify the players? To begin with I am no flag waver and besides my alma mater, Queens College, City University of New York is a DII school with an awesome Swimming Team, but hardly a big time sports program.
The Mountain West
When I moved to New Mexico, and attended the University of New Mexico for graduate school, I worked for one of the President’s of UNM where I received a birds-eye view into NCAA Division I athletics. NCAA Division I schools collectively see millions of dollars in revenue individually and billions collectively. The bulk of this money goes to pay Coaches/Administrator salaries and to pay for million dollar marketing campaigns.
Covid 19, as it has in many instances, has peeled the top off of many of our cherished institutions and revealed the true motivations behind their existence: unencumbered profit. It’s one thing to say to adults, “yes there is risk but either you play or don’t get paid.” It’s totally another thing to say to students, “yes there is increased risk but either you play or you can no longer attend school because we will strip your scholarship” and the amenities that it includes, which does not include – a salary.
Sports Center
Let’s be honest, the overwhelming college athletes we see on ESPN are pinning their hopes on becoming professionals in the major sports leagues. The number of athletes who make those major sports leagues is incredibly small. For example, according to the NCAA, only 1.2 of NCAA Mens Basketball Players are chosen for a realistic “chance” to play in the NBA. Similarly, only 1.6 of NCAA Football players are chosen for a realistic “chance” to play in the NFL.
The global pandemic has thrown a whole new set of variables into the equation: healthy life, death and/or a lifetime of illness. University administrators are asking student-athletes to risk their future for a few games that will generate loads of money for their respective universities but no hard cash for them or their loved ones.
Pay for Play for Pay
Under these circumstances, should we force these students to compete without financial compensation that is commensurate with the revenue they generate? Since the NCAA has forbade universities to pay their student-athletes, then these games need to be paused immediately while student athlete eligibility needs to be preserved until the Covid 19 pandemic subsides. What do you think, I would really like to know? Alex Paramo – find out more about me and my previous articles.
Please help support Independent Media by subscribing below. This is a free subscription which will entitle you to free giveaways, books information, book previews, merchandise giveaways, event news, book signing info and more! Thank you. Community Publishing is from the Community for the Community!
Curated by Mary Ann Gilbreth, Ed.D., Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy, at the University of New Mexico. This collections includes the work of her students from several of her Reading Methods Classes, promoting cultural diversity in the classroom.
From the Left Field Bleachers: COVID University
I once was a college sports fan. Way back when Patrick Ewing used to patrol the lane at Georgetown and the Big East was full of beast teams, I was a fan. As I got older I began turning away from the collegiate game because of the player turnover rate. Players in the NCAA were no longer staying for 4 years and it became harder and harder to identify with a team. I didn’t attend St. John’s University so what connection did I really have to their team if I couldn’t identify the players? To begin with I am no flag waver and besides my alma mater, Queens College, City University of New York is a DII school with an awesome Swimming Team, but hardly a big time sports program.
The Mountain West
When I moved to New Mexico, and attended the University of New Mexico for graduate school, I worked for one of the President’s of UNM where I received a birds-eye view into NCAA Division I athletics. NCAA Division I schools collectively see millions of dollars in revenue individually and billions collectively. The bulk of this money goes to pay Coaches/Administrator salaries and to pay for million dollar marketing campaigns.
Covid 19, as it has in many instances, has peeled the top off of many of our cherished institutions and revealed the true motivations behind their existence: unencumbered profit. It’s one thing to say to adults, “yes there is risk but either you play or don’t get paid.” It’s totally another thing to say to students, “yes there is increased risk but either you play or you can no longer attend school because we will strip your scholarship” and the amenities that it includes, which does not include – a salary.
Sports Center
Let’s be honest, the overwhelming college athletes we see on ESPN are pinning their hopes on becoming professionals in the major sports leagues. The number of athletes who make those major sports leagues is incredibly small. For example, according to the NCAA, only 1.2 of NCAA Mens Basketball Players are chosen for a realistic “chance” to play in the NBA. Similarly, only 1.6 of NCAA Football players are chosen for a realistic “chance” to play in the NFL.
The global pandemic has thrown a whole new set of variables into the equation: healthy life, death and/or a lifetime of illness. University administrators are asking student-athletes to risk their future for a few games that will generate loads of money for their respective universities but no hard cash for them or their loved ones.
Pay for Play for Pay
Under these circumstances, should we force these students to compete without financial compensation that is commensurate with the revenue they generate? Since the NCAA has forbade universities to pay their student-athletes, then these games need to be paused immediately while student athlete eligibility needs to be preserved until the Covid 19 pandemic subsides. What do you think, I would really like to know?
Alex Paramo – find out more about me and my previous articles.
Please help support Independent Media by subscribing below. This is a free subscription which will entitle you to free giveaways, books information, book previews, merchandise giveaways, event news, book signing info and more! Thank you.
Community Publishing is from the Community for the Community!