Here’s a fact that gets overlooked: the NCAA reports that less than 2% of college athletes ever go pro. So when we talk about paying them, we’re essentially subsidizing a tiny fraction who might make it, while the rest are already getting a huge benefit—free tuition, room, board, and training. That’s worth tens of thousands a year. I know scholarships aren’t cash, but they remove a ton of debt and open doors. Paying athletes, especially in revenue sports, would create a two-tier system where football and basketball players get paid while everyone else—swimmers, tennis players—gets nothing. That’s not fair either. The current model gives all scholarship athletes a shot at an education, which is the whole point of college. Let’s not turn universities into minor leagues.