In just four short months, the entire sports world has turned upside down due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. However, as student-athletes return to campus, two questions remain. Is it safe for these student-athletes to return to action, and is it fair to ask of the student-athletes to return to campus without any compensation of any kind?
First and foremost, the safety of the student-athletes should be at the forefront of discussions as these universities start to open up for workouts. However, a lot of money and pride is at stake as we approach the closing days until the kickoff of the 2020 college football season, enough money is at stake for the administration to override any safety concern the student-athletes might have. That might not seem fair to the everyday fan that has no idea how college athletics works, however, it's quite common for the needs and wants of the elite to reign superior to those on the field. This has been the case for years as student-athletes have brought in billions upon billions for their respected schools.
With that being said, there is only one adequate solution that would be fair to both the administration and the student-athletes alike. That solution is simple if you want student-athletes to step foot on the field of play despite the risk, then it's time for both the NCAA and the school's administrations to offer some kind of compensation pay for every student-athlete on campus.
Sure, the budget for the buildings, other students on campus, and coaches' salaries might have to be slightly cut, however, if compensation is given out, it would send the message to the student-athletes that the elite care about their well being. It would also create an open door between the student-athletes and the NCAA to fully communicate with each other on every front. A line of communication that has long been missing from the student-athlete to the elite of the NCAA.
Lastly, if the school administrations work closely with the NCAA to provide fair compensation for the student-athletes, it would take the risk of playing through the pandemic worth it for these kids who are risking it all just to pay the bills for the universities they represent weekly.
College sports will be back soon, in the meantime, it's our responsibility to make sure the student-athlete is taken care of not only for the right now but also for the future.