Write a paragraph response to following post with substance .Debate the subject at an intellectual level.

A extremely controversial topic in the world of college sports is should college student-athletes be paid. I feel that students-athletes should not be paid by the universities they attend or they play for. I do understand that university making a large amount of money off tickets sales, advertising deals, and television deals. There are two main points about paying student-athletes. Where would the money come from to pay this students and they are student-athletes.

Colleges do make enormous sums of money from ticket sales, advertising deals and television deals. For example, In 2017, the Big Ten signed six year deal with Fox Sports and ESPN for the amount worth $2.64 Billion dollars to have their college football games played on the two networks. (Greenstein, 2019) That is a lot of money for just one sport and the money is divided between the 14 schools within the Big Ten. Therefore, you would think that there is plenty of money for the colleges of the Big Ten to pay their student-athletes.

According to a report the took financial statements in 2018-2019, out of the 65 Power 5 schools only 25 recorded a positive net generated. Of the 40 schools, that loss revenue that median was $7.9 million. As rest of the football championship subdivision all of the 125 schools reported negative revenue. (Writers, 2022) Using the Big Ten example, how can a school that makes hundreds of million dollars off television deals still not be making a profit. There are many thing to consider, the team has to travel to games, equipment, coaches salaries, recruiting, and stadium upgrades. All of the things add up and leave the athletic department hard press to generate a profit year in and year out.

When it comes to student-athletes, they are students first than they are athletes. In 2021, over 150,000 student-athletes in Division I and Division II received $2.9 billion dollars in scholarships and this happens every year. (Writers, 2022) Many student-athletes receive scholarships so when the graduate college they have not student debt. Talk to a non-student-athlete and they have a large amount of student debt that they have to pay back. Student-athletes get their college paid for because they are good at playing a sport and have to chance to further their career in sports with the possibility of turning pro in their respective sport.

Running an athletic department costs that college large amount of money even with the lucrative ticket sales, adverting deals, and television deal that conferences and colleges have. With the majority of school not generating a profit year in and year out where could they find it in their budget to be able to pay student-athletes. Student-athletes receive scholarship that cover the costs of their education just for playing a sport that they love playing. Colleges should not pay the student-athletes.