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English Composition 1
The Argumentative Essay
12th March 2024
Should College Athletes be Paid
The debate of whether college athletes should be paid for being in a sports team has
existed for many years. The critics argue that college athletes are students first and that athletics
is an extracurricular activity. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) have
maintained that paying college athletes will harm college sports more than help them, and it will
lead to logistical nightmares. On the other hand, proponents argue that college athletes should be
paid since they invest a lot in terms of their time, resources and energy and bring more money to
collegiate institutions, and they deserve to be compensated. The argumentative essay will
provide arguments that support paying college athletes and show the counterarguments on this
position.
First, playing college athletics has many risks, including physical injuries, exhaustion and
emotional drainage. College athletes put their bodies on the line every time they play; for this,
they deserve payment and another form of compensation. Many great athletes start their careers
playing college sports, including basketball, football, baseball and other sports. There are many
cases where college athletes injure themselves playing sports and end up ruining their whole
careers, such as permanent knee injuries, head injuries and ankle injuries (Knoester et al. 34).
College athletes should be paid for risking their bodies and future career-paying for a college
team.
In addition, student-athletes generate vast streams of revenue for college teams. The
NCAA reports earning billions from college sports through TV contracts and other sponsorship
English Composition 1
The Argumentative Essay
12th March 2024
Should College Athletes be Paid
The debate of whether college athletes should be paid for being in a sports team has
existed for many years. The critics argue that college athletes are students first and that athletics
is an extracurricular activity. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) have
maintained that paying college athletes will harm college sports more than help them, and it will
lead to logistical nightmares. On the other hand, proponents argue that college athletes should be
paid since they invest a lot in terms of their time, resources and energy and bring more money to
collegiate institutions, and they deserve to be compensated. The argumentative essay will
provide arguments that support paying college athletes and show the counterarguments on this
position.
First, playing college athletics has many risks, including physical injuries, exhaustion and
emotional drainage. College athletes put their bodies on the line every time they play; for this,
they deserve payment and another form of compensation. Many great athletes start their careers
playing college sports, including basketball, football, baseball and other sports. There are many
cases where college athletes injure themselves playing sports and end up ruining their whole
careers, such as permanent knee injuries, head injuries and ankle injuries (Knoester et al. 34).
College athletes should be paid for risking their bodies and future career-paying for a college
team.
In addition, student-athletes generate vast streams of revenue for college teams. The
NCAA reports earning billions from college sports through TV contracts and other sponsorship
