Reflecting on the Shame of College Sports: Should NCAA Div 1 Basketball and Football players get paid?

Should NCAA Division 1 Basketball and Football players get paid?

The answer to this question is controversial and there are plausible arguments for both paid and not paid. 

For paid: 

College athletics brings in millions and millions of dollars.  Penn-State athletics is a perfect example bringing in $73 million dollars while only spending $19.5 million which equals a $53.5 million dollar profit.  The players only get "paid" their education which barely hits six figures.  College students are often compared to slaves and sweat shop workers.  Just like any ideal working situation the belief is that you should get paid for what you earn.  

For not paid:

The argument for college athletes not being paid also holds merit.  Suppose we pay the college athletes right? The athletes would soon become just like the pro sports and be playing for the money not the game.  A certain integrity is held with college sports.  These players are playing for their survival every time they step out on the field/court.  If they perform well then the chances of them getting drafted in to the pros increases.  If given money at the college level it is quite possible that some players might make their money and ditch the glory and the pride of winning in college sports.  Athletes are already more privileged over other students and with this amount of money the problem would increase.

So how do we solve this debate?

In my opinion, the colleges are not the bad guys in fact they are the ones who have been coerced in to the master plan of corporations.  It can be argued that the colleges don't have to make these million dollar deals but I believe the intentions of bettering institutions can be good.  The problem lies within the corporations that run the show.  A solution could be created by congress by passing laws that would prevent this substantial amount of commercialization.  The president of the NCAA Myles Brand even admitted that "In a number of our major institutions with large athletic departments, expectations have become unsustainable" (Coakley, 515).  Make education the equal or higher value over how much money could be made as a college athlete and the problem becomes solved.

References:

NYT Sport Economy, https://learn.colorado.edu/d2l/le/content/59211/viewContent/1457475/View

Coakley, Jay J,

 Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies, ninth edition, 2007

The Shame of College Sports,  http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college-sports/308643/