ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV) - They practice up to four hours a day, five days a week. Some times on weekends and holidays. On top of that they have to go to class and study to some college athletics could be considered a full time job.
The National College Players Association has passed around a petition saying players should share a cut of TV revenue Universities receive.
"I think they should get something because basically it's a job coming to school and playing basketball," said Darius Frazier, Winthrop University Freshman.
However for non-student athletes like Bobby Scott, who pays his own tuition to school, disagrees.
"It's not fair because they already get a free tuition and everything," said Scott.
The reason colleges don't pay athletes right now is because whether it Football, basketball or volleyball student athletes are considered amateurs, not pros.
If the NCAA wanted to start paying athletes one thing might get in the way. Title IX with the Department of Education says if one student athlete gets something, they all do.
Meaning if Basketball players get paid the proposed $2,000 a year, the same should go for say volleyball players who may not get little if any TV time.
"I think it could create some animosity or some hard feelings if you will among student athletes on the same campus if everybody doesn't have access to these funds," said Tom Hickman, Athletic Director for Winthrop University.
Hickman says student athletes can qualify for Pell grants which are essentially free money for students to supplement their cost of living.
The idea tossed around right now would give permission to individual schools or whole conferences to pay players.
However, for small schools like Winthrop, that only gets TV exposure when going the NCAA tourney would put them at a disadvantage not just financially.
"In order to remain competitive it really puts pressure on the other conferences to follow suit, and do the same thing, and absolutely for recruiting," said Hickman.
Hickman says even though paying athletes is not a good idea now he feels it will eventually happen one day.
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