Many revere the student athlete. Almost like a celebrity, their many fans cheer them on in a role that many have trained for most of their life. However, outside of a scholarship, which provides the necessities of a college education, such room, board, tuition, and books. The college athlete cannot receive any other compensation. Although a free education is a wonderful gift, whether it is from an Ivy League university or a small community junior college, one must question if it is truly compensatory enough for work the student does and even more importantly for the revenue, said student brings in. College athletes should receive compensation not only because of the large amount of revenue student athletes generate for the university but also for the familiarity and marketability, they bring to the universities brand.
The main concept behind college athletes not receiving any money is an effort to keep the amateurism definitive. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has a set of regulations, which define what exactly an amateur athlete is. In fact, every student who plans to compete in NCAA related activities must register to receive certification ensuring the student is indeed an amateur. The website states that 180,000 student athletes apply for said certification and more than 90% instantly receive their certification (NCAA, 2012).
One would think with such stringent guidelines that students would receive more than just a scholarship. Whereas, many think that a scholarship is compensation, when compared to the larger picture it would be difficult not to think otherwise. The most obvious issue is the amount of money the NCAA makes off student athletes. In basketball for instance, March Madness comes second only to the Super Bowl in terms of most expensive advertising spots. Advertisement is the heart of the television industry (Kiplinger, 2012).