Should Division I College Athletes Receive Compensation in Excess of their Scholarships?

This paper examines the amateurism debate that has surrounded collegiate athletics since their inception in the 1800’s. The NCAA brings in enormous revenue from Bowl Games and “March Madness” without paying the student-athletes who help generate them. Large disparities in budgets and profits among Division I conferences and different sports make it almost impossible for the NCAA to create a system that would fairly compensate all student-athletes based on productivity. I conclude that student-athletes should be able to accept endorsements deals that allow them to monetize their value without costing students or colleges additional money