Should NCAA "Student Athletes" get paid?

[SteelCurtain]

I don't get why one is having these kids do work like this in the first place? Why don't they get jobs instead in which they get a regular salary. I'm confused.

They make a shitload of money for colleges and the NCAA. All the ticket sales/booster donations/merchandising go straight into the coffers and none goes to the students. Also, one of the NCAA rules is that 'student athletes' cannot have jobs in which they make $2000 a year more than the cost of their tuition grant. Also, there are so many ways you can get in trouble with the NCAA as an athlete:

A new NCAA rule permits a Division I student-athlete to earn legitimate on- and off-campus employment income during semester or term time, provided such income in combination with other financial aid included in the student-athleteís individual limit does not exceed the value of a full grant plus $2,000, provided:

A) The student-athlete has spent one academic year in residence at the certifying institution prior to working; and
B) The student-athlete is eligible academically to compete for the institution.

Further, prior to commencement of employment, the student-athlete and the employer must sign a written statement to be kept on file in the athletics department which specifies the following:

A) The student-athlete may not receive any remuneration for the value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following he or she has obtained because of athletics ability;
B) The student-athlete is to be compensated only for work actually performed; and
C) The student-athlete is to be compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in the locality for similar services.

In addition, a student-athlete who satisfies the above-mentioned conditions may receive on- or off-campus employment earnings up to $2,000 gross without considering such aid to be institutional aid, provided the employment (other than employment in the institutionís recreational sports unit) is not in the athletics department. All employment earnings from work in the athletic department or athletic facilities are considered institutional aid.

So if you are a popular student athlete during the offseason looking to make some money for food during your season, and the NCAA can prove that people are coming to the establishment because of your presence there, then you can be suspended. And you can't work as a freshman. (Red shirt freshmen get screwed over by this.)

And if you are that popular student athlete who is trying to make ends meet but you are on full scholarship, you can only earn $2,000 a year.

Getting rid of college athletics is never going to happen. It's the reason too many underprivileged kids even get an opportunity to go to college, and since only 2% of the athletes ever go pro, that's a lot of college diplomas that wouldn't exist without college athletics. But more than anything, it makes people very, very rich, and it makes rich people very, very happy.

The funny thing will be when all these right to work republicans see their student athletes form unions like the one at Northwestern University. Will politics or Southern Football prevail? Roll damn Tide.