Paying Former College Athletes Would Mean Paying Them Twice

Ed O'Bannon has been joined by former college athletes seeking compensation for use of their likenesses, and the debate around paying amateurs has resurfaced in a new light. The argument seems simple: video games use athletes' pictures, so they should share the millions of dollars made by these games. Taking a closer look at why and how these games makes money reveals the fact that these athletes have already been paid, as well as a larger truth about the nature of college athletics.

First and foremost, these athletes have already been paid. Without getting too much into the larger philosophical argument, the fact of the matter is that college athletics provides opportunity. For some, that means a shot at professional and endorsement contracts through a forum that displays their talents. For others, it means using their less pronounced talents in return for a college degree.

This has been true for years. One only needs to look as far as the recent story of Michael Oher, focus of the Oscar-nominated movie, "The Blind Side." This story plays out, most often in less dramatic terms, with students from various backgrounds and upbringings finding themselves in opportunities they otherwise would not have.

That may sound too theoretical, considering the millions surrounding the industries that have arisen around these "student-athletes," but that is exactly what these students sign up for when they commit to a program. They are exchanging their labor for that of the university of college; they are making their likeness that of the school. The simple fact of the matter is that people who play college video games rarely pick up the game because of any one player (and with the one-and-done rule, that may never happen again). They are buying programs like UCLA, traditions like Duke-UNC, and institutions like March Madness. Yes, student-athletes are a part of all of these, but they are possible because of the institutions themselves.

The debate around amateur compensation seems simple, but it always demands closer inspection, and considering all factors often means completely rethinking the terms. Paying college athletes is fair, but paying them twice is far from it. So until they start making the games themselves, student-athletes should take stock of what they've already received for their hard work.