Janice Lozano
College athletes are often not paid and only receive scholarships that cover tuition, room, board, books and fees. This has led to discussions about racial inequities, as many college athletes are Black and come from low-income families. Research has found that the revenue generated by these athletes is often reinvested into the programs, paying the coaches' high salaries and improving facilities. There are racial disparities in graduation rates, with Black male student-athletes less likely to graduate than their non-athlete counterparts. Surveys have also shown racial differences in opinions about paying college athletes, with Blacks more likely to support payment than Whites. These findings highlight the racial dynamics at play in the debate surrounding college athlete compensation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Black students playing high-revenue sports (men's football and basketball) | 50% |
| Percentage of Black students playing other sports | 11% |
| Percentage of Americans who do not think college athletes should be paid | 65% |
| Percentage of African Americans who supported paying college athletes in 2014 | 53% |
| Percentage of whites who supported paying college athletes in 2014 | 22% |
| Overall graduation rates for Black male student-athletes (increase over the past two years) | 2.5% |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Racial prejudice influences white opinion on paying college athletes
- Black athletes are less likely to graduate than non-athletes
- Athletes from lower-income families generate revenue for wealthier athletes
- Black athletes are more likely to support paying college athletes
- The racial breakdown of athletes in high-revenue sports
Racial prejudice influences white opinion on paying college athletes
College athletes are not paid, and this amplifies racial inequities. The money made from college sports is increasing every year, yet the way colleges treat their athletes remains controversial. College sports is a lucrative business for everyone except the athletes. The National College Athletic Association (NCAA) will receive $7.3 billion from ESPN for the rights to broadcast the College Football Playoffs (CFP) games between 2014 and 2026, and $11 billion from CBS and Turner Sports to broadcast "March Madness" over the next 14 years. Individual colleges also profit from college sports. For example, the University of Kentucky's men's basketball team brought in more than $8 million in revenue to the universities of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
African Americans constitute the majority of student-athletes in basketball and football, the two major sports associated with college athletics. According to NCAA data from 2014, 50% of players in these two college sports are Black, compared to only 11% of athletes in other sports. Given this, it is not surprising that racial prejudice is at the heart of public opposition to paying college athletes.
Decades of research have found that some of the gaps in opinion on this issue come from racial prejudice against Blacks. When Whites believe that a policy mainly helps Blacks, their opinions are inevitably influenced by their feelings towards Blacks as a group. To investigate this, a survey of opinions on "pay for play" policies was conducted using the 2014 CCES. The survey found that negative racial views about Blacks were the most important predictor of White opposition to paying college athletes. Whites who were shown pictures of young Black men with stereotypical African American names were significantly more likely to say they opposed paying college athletes.
The discussion about paying college athletes is implicitly a discussion about race. The NCAA should consider how much it wants to base its policies on public opinion, which may be influenced by racial prejudice.
Student Worker Hourly Pay: How Much?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Black athletes are less likely to graduate than non-athletes
Black athletes in college are less likely to graduate than non-athletes, according to a study by Shaun R. Harper, executive director of the University of Southern California's Center on Race and Equity. The study, which focused on Black male athletes, found that at 59% of the universities studied, Black male athletes were less likely to graduate than their non-athlete peers.
The report revealed disparities in graduation rates among Black male athletes compared to the overall student population. While Black male student-athletes across four cohorts graduated at just over 55%, the graduation rate for all undergraduate students was over 76%, and for Black undergraduate men specifically, it was 60%. Only four universities graduated Black male student-athletes at rates equal to or higher than student athletes overall.
Harper's study also highlighted the "overrepresentation" of Black men in revenue-generating sports like football and basketball. Despite making up over half of student-athletes on scholarship, Black men comprise just 2.4% of undergraduates at Power Five athletic conference universities. This disparity is reflected in the coaching staff, with only about 12% of head coaches for men's basketball and 15% of athletics directors being Black.
The low graduation rates among Black male athletes are concerning, especially considering the small percentage of college athletes who go on to professional leagues. Harper advocates for redirecting some athletics funding towards admissions offices to actively recruit Black male high school students who may not have the opportunity to attend college otherwise.
While there has been some progress, with overall graduation rates for Black male student-athletes increasing by 2.5 percentage points in the past two years, addressing the disparities remains an ongoing challenge.
Understanding BAH Benefits for Half-Time Student Status
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Athletes from lower-income families generate revenue for wealthier athletes
College athletes are not paid, and this disproportionately affects Black athletes from lower-income families. While these athletes generate revenue, they do not receive compensation, and the money made from their sports supports non-revenue sports played by athletes from wealthier backgrounds.
Research has found that college athletes are more likely to come from privileged backgrounds with well-educated parents and attended wealthier schools. Students from wealthier families have better academic and athletic resources, higher expectations of attending college, and are situated in more optimal school environments, making it more likely that they will play sports in college.
In contrast, athletes from lower-income families often face barriers to participating in college sports due to a lack of access to the same athletic and academic resources as their more privileged peers. They may not be able to afford private training or enroll in private club sports, putting them at a disadvantage.
The issue of college athletes not being paid has come under increasing scrutiny, with many states passing laws to allow athletes to sign endorsement deals, sell autographs, and earn appearance fees. However, there is still resistance to paying college athletes, and racial prejudice has been found to influence white opposition to compensation.
The dynamic of revenue generated by athletes from lower-income families being transferred to support athletes from wealthier backgrounds raises questions of equity and the need to address the fundamental inequities embedded in the current model.
DACA Students: Out-of-State Tuition Fees Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Black athletes are more likely to support paying college athletes
The issue of paying college athletes has brought to light the racial disparities within college sports. While the NCAA has argued that college athletes are "students who play for the love of the sport", there are financial implications for these students, many of whom come from low-income backgrounds.
Research has shown that athletes who play high-revenue sports like football and basketball tend to come from high schools with higher percentages of Black students and lower average household incomes. Half of the players in these college sports are Black, whereas only 11% of athletes in other sports are Black. This has led to discussions about the racial dynamics of the debate surrounding paying college athletes.
Studies have found that Black people are more likely to support paying college athletes. In the 2014 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES), 53% of African Americans supported paying college athletes, compared to only 22% of White people. Similarly, a 2014 Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 51% of non-White people were in favour of paying college athletes, while only 24% of White people agreed. These racial disparities in opinion are thought to be influenced by racial prejudice, as studies have shown that negative racial views about Black people are the strongest predictor of White people's opposition to paying college athletes.
The current model of college sports has been described as structurally racist, as it transfers wealth from predominantly Black athletes in high-revenue sports to predominantly White athletes in lower-revenue sports. This dynamic has led to concerns about equity, as the money generated by athletes from lower-income neighbourhoods is used to support sports played by athletes from wealthier backgrounds. As a result, Black athletes are more likely to support paying college athletes to address these racial and socioeconomic inequalities.
Student Loan Debt: Strategies for Employer Repayment Assistance
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The racial breakdown of athletes in high-revenue sports
While college athletes are often portrayed as students who play for the love of the sport, the reality is that the business model of college sports is facing a fundamental reckoning. The racial breakdown of athletes in high-revenue sports reveals a stark picture of inequality.
Research has shown that students who play high-revenue sports like men's football and basketball tend to come from high schools with higher percentages of Black students and lower average household incomes. This is reflected in the racial composition of these sports at the college level, with half of all players in men's football and basketball being Black, compared to only 11% of athletes in other sports. The profits generated by these sports are often reinvested in the programs, with a large portion going towards paying coaches' high salaries and improving facilities.
This transfer of wealth raises concerns about equity, as the athletes generating the revenue are predominantly Black and from lower-income backgrounds, while the beneficiaries tend to be sports where athletes are more likely to be white and from higher-income neighborhoods. This dynamic is further exacerbated by racial prejudice, which has been found to influence white opposition to paying college athletes. Surveys have consistently shown that Blacks are far more likely to support paying college athletes than whites, and negative racial views about Blacks have been identified as a key predictor of this opposition.
The implications of these findings are significant. The racial inequities in college sports have led to calls for legislative action to address the fundamental inequities embedded in the current model. Additionally, there is a persistent racial imbalance in graduation rates, with Black male student-athletes less likely to graduate than their non-athlete counterparts, highlighting the need for institutional leaders and athletic organizations to take proactive measures to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity.
While the discussion about paying college athletes is complex and multifaceted, it is clear that race plays a critical role in shaping the landscape of college athletics and the distribution of resources and opportunities within it. Addressing these racial inequities is essential to ensuring a more just and equitable future for all athletes, regardless of their race or socioeconomic background.
Renters Charging Students More: Is It Legal?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
In the high-revenue sports of men's football and basketball, half of all players are Black, compared to only 11% of athletes in other sports.
There is evidence that racial prejudice influences white opinion on paying college athletes. In a survey using the 2014 CCES, negative racial views about Black people were the single most important predictor of white opposition to paying college athletes.
College athletes are "paid" with scholarships that cover only tuition, room, board, books and fees. Meanwhile, the money made by football and men's basketball is reinvested in those programs, often to pay coaches' high salaries. This means that athletes who are more likely to be Black and from lower-income families generate revenue that is transferred to coaches and athletes in sports where participants tend to be white and from higher-income neighbourhoods.
Black male student-athletes across four cohorts graduated at just over 55%, compared to more than 76% of undergraduate students and 60% of Black undergraduate men overall. At 59% of the universities studied, Black athletes were less likely to graduate than Black males not involved in intercollegiate athletics.
