Tuesday, April 8, 2014

College Athletes

One of the teams at a well-known university has just been given the right to unionize.  The media is all abuzz that college athletes should be paid, since their school is making millions of dollars from their work.  There was even a basketball player saying that he often goes to bed hungry.

That sounded very familiar to me.  Back when I was working, my company was making millions of dollars as a result of my work.  I got a salary for my work.

I guess it's only fair that college  athletes be paid for their work.  It wouldn't be fair though if those athletes got paid and a full scholarship.  I say, pay the athletes, but rescind their scholarships.  Maybe, as an incentive, if the team does well and wins, say a championship, those players could get a bonus.

Paying the players would have many advantages.  First, it would introduce them to the real world a little sooner, they would have some extra money (if they've learned how to manage it) and they would then join the dwindling supply of taxpayers that we so sorely need.

It's time that college athletes stopped getting a free ride with scholarships and joined the real world as taxpayers, just like the rest of us.

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