Many sports fans love the atmosphere and drama of college football. To some, the NFL can never match the intensity of a college football rivalry or a big championship game.
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Unfortunately, a lot of people also recognize the faults with college football, and college sports in general. The NCAA, while making millions upon millions of dollars, does not allow its student athletes to be paid for their play even though they are the reason people tune in on Saturdays.
Northwestern university and its players attempted a coup this past year to unionize college athletes in order for them to be paid for their services on the football field, basketball court, and any other sport the NCAA makes money off of.
Who else benefits from the player’s performances on the field? Well, the schools themselves make quite a hefty sum. How much you ask? Check out just how much USC and Alabama will make for their meeting in 2016:
Was told that both @AlabamaFTBL and @uscfootball will receive close to $5M to play each other in 2016.
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) July 22, 2014
$5 million dollars and not a single penny will go to any of the players. Of course, without the players, the schools would not be able to make any of that money. They also would have no jersey sales, or other countless apparel purchases at the game itself.
The NCAA does not see any issue with this, even when student athletes have come out and said they go to sleep hungry because they have no money for groceries. Hopefully the tides will change in the coming years as this injustice can no longer simply be ignored.