Why not A Football Degree ?

Why not A Football Degree? was  written by William F. Shughart II, who is a distinguished professor at the University of Mississippi. In this essay, she disclosed the corruption of the NCAA in college sports as well as some college sport departments. She believed that athletic students in colleges were suffering from unequal treatments due to the rules and regulations of NCAA. She also mentioned these rules and regulations should be changed and improved a lot. Today, money is a serious problem for college, university teams and athletic individuals, although athletes bring wealth and welfare to their school by their considerable contribution, the compensation payable to an athlete is limited by NCAA. Thus, in order to help athletic students make success in both athletic and academic fields, Shuhart proposed three solutions: 1. Created four-year degree program in football and basketball; 2.Extend the time limit on athletic scholarships by two years; 3.Allow a competitive marketplace to determine the compensation of college athletes.

Before I read Shughart's essay, I have ever considered this problem of athletes in college. It surprises me that athletes are not able to get any other payment out of the compensation from their universities. In order to reveal the fact, Shughart's showed us two example, Troy and Rhett. Tory accepted $500 from a Buckeye booster, and Rhett earned substantially more than justified by working at a job arranged for him by a patron. They are both punished finally. As is known to all, expect working on academic subjects, college athletes have to spend much extra time and energy on exercise and practices. In this case, they may have spend more than 4 years to graduate. It is common and reasonable for athletes make some money via other ways. So I agree with the suggestion of author that creating four-year degree programs for these students. It is a good solution to help athletes students reduce academic pressure and economic burden, and we have to admit they make contribution for university as well as wealth. University have the duty to create a degree to recompense them.

NCAA requires all athletes must retain amateur status while some individuals prefer the professional status. Coaches, athletic departments and college administrators could continue to benefit financially at the expense of the player as long as keeping college athletes amateurs. However, some talent athletes would benefit if they were allowed to become professionals. They can directly gain the wealth from market-based systems. Actually, amateur status can protect college athletes indeed. Without the rules of NCAA, athletes may focus on how to make more money by marketplaces, and they may lose themselves and give up sports in this case. Therefore, we should have a balance between amateurs and professionals. On one hand, universities can transfer some money from college sport institutions to individuals, they can also allow limited compensation of college athletes from marketplaces on the other.