Come To Think of It: Is It Time for Student Athletes To Get Paid?

The University of Florida has sold more than 11,000 jerseys with Tim Tebow's name on the back and Tebow hasn't received even a nickel.   

Is that fair? 

Or is it time that college student athletes get paid? 

Look, don't think for a second that the major university football and some basketball programs aren't big business. They are.

In fact, many of the men's football and basketball programs at major colleges often turn a nifty profit. 

Ah, but therein lies the rub. Recognizing that other sports, and especially women's sports, often lose money for schools, would it be fair to just pay the athletes of the programs and/or sports that turn a profit? 

Would that be fair to the female college volleyball player who works just as hard, for example? 

Ultimately, most college Athletic Directors will tell you that one of the things you sign on for as a student-athlete is that the University gets to use your name and image for marketing purposes. 

The fact is, kids sometimes forget that they are receiving a valuable college education as part of the process. Also lost in the adulation is all of the money that major college programs put into things like transportation, medical staff, facilities, and communications. Most major colleges have to fly charters to be competitive. 

Still, the question remains then, why can't a student athlete who is clearly bringing in money for a school receive at least a portion of the profits, perhaps even to be paid out in a future annuity of some kind? 

After all, wouldn't that help diminish the number of athletes who are paid under the table to come to a school?

We've all heard the stories, we've all seen the news. To think it's not still happening would be very naive on our part.

Coaches get paid exorbitant salaries plus bonuses and other perks for winning college football games. Their players get nothing for trying to do the same thing.

And don't kids also have additional expenses when they play major college sports?

Under NCAA regulations, student athletes aren't allowed to work much. And it's not like there isn't precedent to pay students. Presidential Scholars, with miscellaneous expenses combined with their full tuition, room and board, are given thousands more than the typical student athlete.

The problem is that many college athletic departments don't turn a profit. Any revenue earned from football, for example, usually helps to cover losses in other, non-revenue generating sports.

Paying athletes would make those bottom lines worse.

Meanwhile, consider these facts:

• Nike and Reebok, among others, negotiate million-dollar deals with colleges for the players to wear their apparel. For example, Georgia receives $1.3 million a year from Nike, as part of a 10-year deal signed in 1999.
• EA Sports uses images derived from actual players, none of whom receive a dime.
• The Big Ten and Mountain West conferences have launched their own TV networks, which are projected to generate millions of dollars. The SEC is considering doing the same.
• At least 68 of 119 Division I football coaches have contracts for at least $1 million, according to coacheshotseat.com.

What if some kid is earning millions of dollars for his school while his mother is getting evicted from her apartment because she can't pay the rent? Would it be so wrong for the school to help out?

Well, under current NCAA guidelines, that would likely result in a major offense, if detected.

So the questions goes unanswered, but expect it to get more attention as time goes on. Like it or not, this issue will not go away my friends. What side are you on?