Written by: Jordan Hill

CBS News recently reported that Northwestern University football players are petitioning to get paid for the “job” they perform at NU, and many other university players are closely watching this ongoing battle with the National Collegiate Athletics Association.

It was hard to read the article without rolling my eyes. These football players want to be paid for playing football at a college level?

Sports programs at universities are clearly a source of revenue for universities, so I do see the players’ view. But aren’t most players already receiving free education and housing?

Kain Colter, NU quarterback, is the head honcho of the petition at NU.

“We’re very grateful for the education that we get, and we put in hard work to obtain the degree at the end of the day,” Colter said. 

Sports are extracurricular activities. If football players should get paid, does that mean all university athletes should be paid for playing a game?

In an interview with “The Dan Patrick Show,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said that paying college players is inevitable.

“…If there’s an opportunity for the student-athlete to fly home when he does get an opportunity to break and see his family or have a little money in the bank…I think everyone is looking to make that happen in some fashion,” Kelly said.

Where will the money to pay athletes come from? I would guess an increase in university tuition, which would, as usual, outrage every student at the university. However, one theory is that the money will come from the revenue that the sports program generates.

In most cases, college athletes receive a free education and on-campus housing. Now players are pushing to receive pay for playing a sport in order to make it easier for them to live in today’s economy.  

Here’s a crazy thought: get a part-time job! I know athletes have hectic schedules, but so does every other student that attends college. Although college athletes have limitations as to how much they can make with a part-time job, I think it is enough to simply provide for them what their scholarship does not pay.

Universities are paying for athletes to get an education, and now those athletes are asking for more money. Athletes, be grateful for what you have while the rest of us work multiple jobs to pay for our education.

Raising the question about paying college athletes also brings to light many more questions that I don’t think the NCAA is ready to answer.