Should College Athletes Receive Compensation?

I am a fan of college basketball, NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball, specifically, the Maryland Terrapins and the Georgetown Hoyas. I was such a fan of the Terrapins growing up that sometimes my mom, after working a very long day, would take me to the Colefield House (the Terrapins’ home arena) to see the men’s team play. This was the team that consisted of Walt “The Wizard” Williams. My love affair with college basketball was forever cemented.  As I followed the NCAA, one of the oldest debates about their athletic program centered around if the players should be paid. This conversation comes up every few weeks as someone is found to be in violation of the NCAA rules. It could be an athlete, a coach, or even the school itself. The core issue for most of these violations tends to be money related and the fact that these athletes aren’t being paid for their services. Like most fans of the sport, I was saddened when players started leaving college early to enter the NBA. I enjoyed watching a group of players evolve from their freshman year to their senior year and dominate during March Madness. I agreed with those who wanted to put a restriction on when a player could leave college for the NBA.

And then, I did some homework.

The NCAA made close to 1billion dollars in their 2014 fiscal year and ended with a surplus of 80 million dollars! I recall my own college days of being a struggling college student living off of Ramen Noodles and Little Debbie cakes. I remember the excitement of finding the ATM machine near campus that would let me withdraw $5 instead of the standard $20 minimum. I didn’t have $20, but I knew I had at least $10 until mom sent me money or I received my Work Study paycheck from one of my two campus jobs. This is where the issue lies with college athletes; they do not have the time to have a Work Study job. When they are not practicing, then they are training. When they are not training, then they are watching film on their upcoming opponent. When they are not watching film, they are doing their homework and attending class. The money they may have received from their scholarship only provides for their education; not food outside of school, not to pay their cell phone bill to stay in touch with family, not to buy a new t-shirt or toiletries, things we all purchased in college. Most of them do not have a parent that is able to send them money from home. While the NCAA will argue that compensating student-athletes would destroy competitive balance in college sports, I believe that athletes leaving school early to enter the pros, destroys the competitive balance in college sports also. Eighty-six percent of college athletes live below the poverty line. Students are leaving school because they are poor, need to provide for themselves plus their families, and feel used by the current NCAA system. I can’t recall the last time I saw a starting line up of seniors play during March Madness. Now I understand, from a financial stand point, why athletes leave. I doubt I could handle reading that I am worth millions to a team, yet I’m hungry and expected to function on the three meals a day provided to me through my scholarship. I am the furthest thing from an athlete, but when I work out, I’m eating more than three meals a day. Maybe their commitment to a school’s athletic program could also be used as their Work Study pay.

As a crisis manager, I would implore student athletes to tell their stories in their own words. Use photos to show where they grew up and where they are trying not to go back to. Have their friends and family interviewed. Tell the whole story. If such a program were in place, maybe you wouldn’t hear stories of boosters, lavish gifts or even drug dealers getting intertwined with a college athlete’s career. My recommendation wouldn’t necessarily be a salary, but would be comparable to what they would be paid on a Work Study job. I’m a fan of NCAA college basketball. I am not a fan of it’s system, it’s athletes’ struggles, and how their athletes are not compensated nor benefit from the billions they bring in for the NCAA.

Dear Jahlil Okafor

Recently, Philadelphia 76’ers rookie center Jahlil Okafor has been making sports headlines for the wrong reasons. Okafor was suspended for two games for a fight in Boston, MA with a heckler. The 19-year-old NBA rookie was also accused of using a fake I.D. at a Philadelphia bar in October. Okafor was a star at the University of Duke under coach Mike Krzyzewski. During his freshman year, Duke won the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. After winning the championship, Okafor entered the 2015 NBA draft and was drafted third by the Philadelphia 76’ers. Okafor is currently the star of a losing 76’ers team with a 1-20 record. If I had the opportunity to talk to Okafor via email or in person, I would say the following to him:

Dear Jahlil Okafor:

I want to help you. I believe the circumstances you are going through are hiccups on your road of life. Hiccups, that if not addressed, can turn into another “what-could-have-been?” episode of ESPN’s 30 for 30. I spent 16 years working in radio. At times, I worked at the #1 radio station in the market and at other times I worked at the worst radio station in the market. When you have not worked in a competitive environment, you do not understand how it may mess with your mind. Going from winning to losing is hard. You start to question yourself. For me, I questioned if I should have left my previous radio station for the new station. Maybe I wasn’t as good as I thought. Maybe I had committed career suicide. Once you say “maybe” too many times, you have mind trapped yourself into a dangerous place - the place of self-doubt. Now you are questioning everything about yourself. To make matters worse, I was alone in a new city with no family. Everyone just assumes you are happy because you are making more money than you once were. No one factors in all the other aspects of life that kick in with your new environment. In my opinion, Philly is the realest city on the planet. I know people say that New York is tough; “if you can make it here you can make it anywhere.” As a person who has lived and worked in both cities, I’m here to tell you, “Philly is tough!” When the people of Philly love you and embrace you, they do it with their WHOLE heart and soul. But when their team isn’t winning, oh you will surely feel the wrath!! Right now you are feeling the wrath of losing, and it doesn’t feel good. I know that feeling as well.

I want you to consider another dynamic; how great would it be for your career and for the Sixers franchise if you were the reason the team turns around? Now is not the time to hang around with a bunch of people who constantly tell you how great you are, hanging on to you for access to the VIP section. Now is the time to get serious. You need to seek out NBA veterans, seek out your old coach Mike Krzyzewski, or seek out a person from your faith. You need an outside voice to tell it to you straight, but also willing to walk that road with you. Assigning security to you (as the Sixers organization has stated they will do) is a Band-Aid; it does not address what is happening in your head. I don’t want you to be a statistic. I don’t want you to become the poster child for why college athletes should stay in school longer. I want you to be the poster child for the future of the NBA. You are an awesome player on a bad team. Let’s work together to focus on your greatness. Too many people want to talk about you, judge you and make you a headline on their sports show. I want to help you.