The Responsibility Project - College Sports

The Responsibility Project - College Sports

Leonardo A. Davila

ETH-316

May 01, 2012

David Radcliff

The Responsibility Project - College Sports

An opportunity to go to college in a sports scholarship is fundamentally tremendous achievement of that student; however, the NCAA's brass keeps questioning the lack of responsibility of college athletes without taking a good look at themselves. On the Responsibility Project Round Table in College Sports that mediated by John Singetore that covers the responsibilities of college athletics.

The issue covered in this round table was the responsibility of the collegiate athlete, which was very interesting. The panel that took part on this round table came to the conclusion that college sports specially football and basketball have come to a cross-roads because of the amount of time and efforts these college athletes demand is saddening. The institutions demand so much from the student-athlete that all this can put a burden on the student. The college athlete is so far removed from the academic experience of that institution that sometimes they have a hard time meeting all expectations from that institution because they not only need to excel in their sport, but also in academics and must display good morals. They hardly interact with the student body, why? Because everything is about wins and losses, is about what the institution is generating in revenue.

One of the biggest roles that put external social pressure not just on the athletes but also on the Athletic Director is the sport agent because since the college athletes do not get pay for playing their sport and the agents know this, thus making the college athletes easy targets to do unethical things. Also the financial endorsements the institution receives from their sponsors, i.e. Nike Company. College coaches get pay more than the professional coaches because they also get revenues from the shoe company. The shoe company pays millions of dollars to the institutions for the players to wear their products, the coaches get paid a portion of that revenue, but the players do not see a dime of that revenue, thus the college athlete can easily be lured to accept money from an agent if the athlete commits to that agent.