The CWA panel “NCAA: National Cartels of Amateur Athletics” shed light on recent scandals in college athletics while questioning whether to pay student athletes for their work on the field or court.

Jefferson Dodge moderated the Friday morning panel. Panelists William Nack, Guy Benson, Robert George and Jurek Martin talked about how the NCAA makes millions of dollars each year from its athletes, yet those athletes make nothing from the entertainment they provide. While all of the panelists agreed that the difference in money making is unfairly balanced, their opinions differed on how to reimburse the students. There was also a hot debate on which comes first: being a student or being an athlete. Amid the laughs at jokes about not-so athletic schools and athletes, the serious question remained: how do we compensate the athletes who entertain us between classes? Below are the stand-out quotes and points made by the panelists.

Nack

On the NCAA making millions from CBS buying exclusive coverage of the March Madness tournament: “All of it’s on the backs of amateur athletes who did not get paid a thing.”

On the large amount of injuries and deaths from the early days of the NCAA: “Two large men can’t run into each other without equipment without some fatalities.”

About a student athlete from Georgia University who was suspended from basketball for selling his tournament jersey: “He literally sold the shirt off his back, and the NCAA said, ‘No.’ Meanwhile, the Georgia bookstore was selling the same number replica for $39.99.”

“There’s got to be some way that we can compensate these athletes who are throwing their bodies around [for our entertainment]. Look at the money we make off of poor black kids.”

Benson

“I hear the Buffs [basketball team] will make the Sweet 16 next year. I won’t say anything about the football program.”

On school keeping public lists of student athletes that graduate: “I think that’s a very good idea. I think that should be counted [when schools get funding].”

“Amateurism is a crux of college sports.”

“If [student athletes] want to go pro, they have a massive platform to perform.”

George

“[What it] comes down to: are they a student or are they semi-pro athletes? I would argue, they’re semi-pro.”

“The question is: are they [student athletes] compensated to the level of the value that they actually bring to the school?”

“Where college athletes do get certain privileges that other students don’t get, there are other opportunities that regular students can do that college athletes can’t do.”

“[The student athlete’s] life basically belongs to the NCAA. Not only his life, but his likeness.”

Martin

At the beginning of the NCAA, “He was a student first, athlete second. Those days are gone.”

On Tiger Woods leaving Standford after two years rather than graduating: “If he had stayed in school, maybe he would have gotten the wisdom to avoid certain problems he’s had in the last few years.”

“I’d like to think that we should have students over athletes rather than the other way around.”

In college basketball: “How long is on the clock? Forty minutes. How long did it take to show the game [on TV]? Two and a half hours. These are athletes that take two and a half hours to play 40 minutes. Those aren’t athletes.”

Contact CU Independent News Budget Editor Avalon Jacka at Avalon.jacka@colorado.edu.