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"Don't they get enough?! They get special treatment, they are basically celebrities, and most of them are receiving a free college education!"
"Do you know how much work we have to put in? How much time, energy, and effort we dedicate to our sport? Nothing about our degree is free!"
These are some of things I would hear from students and student athletes while consuming the [God-awful] "cuisine" of the student cafeteria at my alma mater. I haven't really given the athletic student v. non-athletic student much thought, until I recently read that 5 former college athletes are suing the NCAA in attempts to break down the amateur, monetary wall.
Pictured : Football Player David Caldwell of the College of William & Mary
Highly successful sports attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, filed an anti-trust claim in the New Jersey District Court on behalf of 5 former basketball and football players. In the introduction of his brief, Kessler states that colleges and conferences receive billions of dollars on the talent, backs, and sometimes broken bodies of these students. A good deal of student-athletes come from lower to mid-level socioeconomic classes. Not only do these students take on their position as athletes in hopes to get an education, but to also provide for their family. So while the school is profiting big time off of their efforts, the families of some of these MVPs cannot afford to keep their lights on. Kessler argues that only a select few will be invited to the NFL or the NBA, and that these schools and conferences are exploiting these athletes for their own, personal gain. At the end of their college-career what do they have to show for it?
Now as a non-athletic, student who receives Sallie Mae statements each quarter of the year, my initial response to this question was, "A FREE COLLEGE DEGREE!" However, after doing a little research, I see it may not be so black and white.
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Many student-athletes stand on the fact that they don't have as much time to focus on their academic success as do non-athletes. This, apparently, sets them back significantly from their peers. The average GPA for female non-athletic and athletic students fell in the same range for the most part (Girl Power!). However, as you can see in the chart to the right the GPA gap is significantly skewed amongst recruited-male student athletes, walk on-male student athletes, and non-athletic, male students. Male Recruited Athletes had an average GPA of 2.84 and male non-athletes held a GPA of 3.04. Although the education is free, at graduation, most athletes cannot compete with the academic quantitative qualifications, that many non-athletic students have made priority and perfected. Also, some student athletes may not have as much time to gain experience in their field of study. While many non-athletic students are taking on internships, studying abroad, or taking positions in their soon-to-be career, most athletes stay on campus for seasonal camps and training. So not only are they behind academically but also experience-wise upon graduation.
To this I have heard the argument that it is not the job of the athletic department, the school, or anyone else to make sure that the athletic students are on top of their schoolwork. "They decided to become college-athletes, and with that comes sacrifice, hard work, and time management." There are college students who parent, work multiple jobs, lead organizations, and volunteer. These students are not cut any slack due to their busy schedule. They provide colleges & universities with covetable atmospheres, stimulating class dialogue, and help boost the academic stats that make their institution desirable to potential applicants. Are we suggesting that these students also be compensated?
Pictured: Basketball Player, Kendrix Brown of the College of William & Mary
This isn't the first time we've seen lawsuits against sports committees. This is, however, the first time, we've seen these claims not be immediately dismissed. If these 5 petitioners were to prevail, the danger is the precedent it would set for student compensation, and the chaos it would create for conferences and colleges everywhere to clean up.
Should any of the athletes succeed in their claim, the storm would be far from over. I asked my father, former athlete, former college football recruiter, and long-time coach, Rodney Gore, what the next steps would be.
Pictured: Coach Rodney Gore, with student/mentee, Basketball Player Roslyn Presley of Campbell University