A surprising fact is that most college athletic departments actually lose money. So I just think if schools had to pay athletes directly, a lot of smaller sports would get cut to cover it. I am not sure how to argue it better than that.

Yeah, the other side makes a fair point that athletes bring in a lot of attention and deserve something for it. I just keep coming back to the feeling that paying them straight from the school would gut the smaller sports. I do not really know how to argue past that.

Honestly, my opponent drifted off topic there. Still, sure, athletes bring in money and deserve something. I just keep feeling that direct school pay would squeeze the smaller sports, and I cannot really defend that any better.