It is hard to deny that many people love watching sports no matter what form it may take. Obviously, there are professional leagues that are the most popular such as the NFL or the NBA.
But in recent years there has been another form of sports that pulls just as much or more viewership than professional leagues and that is college sports.
College sports were not always like this, its explosion in popularity was a slow and methodical one, gaining 1,896 teams in champion sports since 2010.
There has even been talk of college players receiving pay through endorsements with other brands or if they have a YouTube channel.
This may sound like a far off law that will never come to pass, but recently the California governor Gavin Newsom signed a law allowing this very thing to happen by 2023.
There has been talk that this may even lead to college athletes receiving an annual salary in the future.
On the surface, it makes sense seeing as they play the same sport as professional athletes just in a different league. Many student athletes have mixed opinions on this issue.
“Yes, because they should be rewarded for their hard work, they put a ton of blood sweat and tears into their sport,” junior Bryan Kokilananda said. “They need to have some reward for all that.” Arguments like that are not unfounded, college athletes are susceptible to the same risks as professional athletes like concussions and brain damage.
Others say that because student-athletes already spend so much time on their sports (at least 40 hours a week) they should be allowed to get paid as it prevents or makes it very difficult for those athletes to have a part-time job.
Even though many believe that college athletes should be able to get paid there is strong opposition to this movement.
“I do not think college athletes should be paid,” junior Abraham Belayneh said.“While benefits can be given the individuals, an annual salary is not necessary.”
The opposition to this movement argue with many of the same and some similar points. Many contend that allowing college athletes to receive pay essentially removes the fine line that separated them from professional athletes.
This could lead to many students to prioritize athletics over academics, leading to the issue of students valuing programs that pay more rather programs that teach more.
More prominent arguments are that if college athletes are allowed to be paid there will inevitably be issues of paycheck equality.
More importantly, it could force colleges to shut down other activities as they are prioritizing college athletes’ pay limiting the diversity of many college programs.
“No, I think getting their college tuition, food, books is enough,” lacrosse coach Bill Maglisceau said.
That is also a prominent argument for the opposite of college pay, that the benefits of most likely being the receiver of a scholarship is enough to make up for the lack of pay.
In the end many college athletes pour their hearts into the sports that they play. But is enough to warrant a paycheck? Many are still debating it.