311_Ind2_S1

Name: Scott Danes

Instructions: Now that your group has decided on an issue, you must demonstrate that there is a problem. You will turn in this research sheet completed with two articles attached that you showed that there is a problem

I. There is a problem in society today. That problem is: Over the past few years,the National Colliegate Athletic Association, or NCAA, has had many problems with college athletes demanding contracts throughout their years of attendance. According to Rod Gilmore, ESPN Columnist, who speaks of why college athletes should be paid, "Sure, at one time college football was consistent with the mission of a univeristy to educate and provide for the well-being of its student body. However, college football is no longer very different from the NFL. It's part of the entertainment industry. Yet one big difference between the two remains: college athletes don't get paid. It's time to change this."(Rod Gilmore, //Should College Athletes Be Paid?).// Many opponents beleive that there should continue to be a line between amateur and professional. The difference being that professionals should be contracted and recieve salaries. Supporters believe that atheltes are working very hard, risking injury and making millions of dollars from televised games and other donations that they should recieve some of this reward.

II. Facts that demonstrate that there is a problem are: (Two articles and bibliography must be attached)

I. There should be no reason as to why colleges should not have enough money to contract the players for salaries. More and more every year men's and women's college athletics increases their profits through entertainment alone. Football brings in the most out of any of the major division one sports. Some of the top football universities in the country have been bringing in more and more money through television and bowl games. During the season of 2005-2006, the Univeristy of Texas brought in 47 million dollars from entertainment alone. Following close second was the Univesity of Michigan with 37 million and Florida with 32 million. II. Although the entertainment buisness for college sports such as men's and women's basketball and men's football has been generating more money than the colleges need, they recieve millions of dollars in donation from past alumni and fundraisers. Recently, Oklahoma State recieved 165 million dollars from T. Boone Pikens to uprgrade its facilities. Michigan spent reportedly over 226 million dollars to upgrade workout facilities and their state of the art stadium. These colleges are spending millions of dollars each year to upgrade stadiums, and workout centers, when some of that money could be given to the players who use these arenas. In addition to spending money on new facilities, these colleges have been raising the salaries of their head coaches to combat the ones that are coming from the NFl franchises. In the past few years, the Univeristy of Alabama gave Nick Saban, head football coach of the Crimson Tide, an eight-year 32 million dollar contract. Compare that to the average athletic scholarship that a player recieves that sits around 15,000 dollars a year, only guaranteed for one year. That amount is only 2,000 dollars more than the average tuition for public schools. III. Many opponents believe that the oppurtunity to play and recieve partial payment for tuition is enough. Rod Gilmore of ESPN believes, "Players have an absolute right to be envious and feel exploited. the age-old rationale that the student-athlete's "free education" is equivalent in value to his atheletic labor doesn't wash anymore."(Rod Gilmore, //College Football Players Deserve Pay for Play//.) With this statement, Gilmore believes that the oppurtunity for a student-athlete to study and learn for a bare minimum for their hard work on the field is not enough. The national average graduation rate is 55 percent for Division I-A football players, according to the federal government's calculation. However, many of the biggest programs struggle to meet the average. The University of Texas barely graduates 29% of its football players followed by LSU with 32% of its individuals.

Some of the top football univeristies have earned millions of dollars for their university in profit from football alone from entertainment. Many of these colleges recieve millions of dollars each year from fundraisers and alumni donations, and a majority of this money goes towards the facilities. Coaches over the past few years have been recieving higher salaries to combat ones that are coming from NFL franchises. Many opposers believe that a "student-athlete's free education is equivalent in value to his athletic labor"(Rod Gilmore, //Should College Athletes Be Paid?)//
 * Texas- $47 million
 * Michigan- $37 million
 * Florida- $32 million
 * Oklahoma State- $165 million from T. Boone Pikens to update facilities
 * Michigan- $226 million for upgrading stadium and workout centers
 * Texas- $150 million
 * Nick Saban-Head coach of Alabama Crimson Tide recieved $4 million annual salary
 * The average athlete scholarship goes around $15,000 annually, only guaranteed for one year
 * The National average for tuition(not including room/board) is $13,000/public, $30,000/private
 * The national average graduation rate is 55 percent for Division I-A football players, according to the federal government's calculation. However, many of the biggest programs struggle to meet the average.
 * Texas-29%
 * LSU-37%
 * Florida-42%
 * Alabama-47%
 * Ohio State-49%
 * USC-52%