Kelsey Briggs
Nov. 17, 2018.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Student athletes are considered superheroes in the minds of children and adults. Once theircleats hit the field crowds cheer for their perspective teams. What the crowds and students don’t notice through the echoes of cheers, the countless dollars earned through ticket sales that are not in favor of athletes.
In Oklahoma college sports, nearly 40 million dollars of revenue is earned from sporting events. Athletes in Division I, II, and IIIschools will never see a dime of the amount. Under OPSU-004, Zion Byrd is planning to change the future of Oklahoma collegiate sports. OPSU-004 is set to give funds to all college athletes when the scholarship alone is not enough. The fund plan to be compiled together and then distributed evenly amongst all athletes on the campus. Intermural athletes would not qualify for the funds. Through National Collegiate Athletic Association rules and regulations, universities may choose to pay players. Schools along the eastern coast favor the rule more than the Midwest. Tennis is the only sport in the NCAA that does not allow prize money to be accepted.Table 1: Photo Courtesty of Hudl, Zion Byrd.
“As a student athlete I have a lot of experience because I don’t even have enough time to do my own homework. For me, my scholarship is my life and it is only a half-ride, which I believe is not enough. So, I had to get a job to which was really hard because I have no time for homework. I don’t go to sleep until 12 or 1 a.m. I then have weights around 5 a.m. so I have to get up around 4 a.m. It’s very tough, we face a lot of sacrifices as student athletes. Each day is a struggle and a sacrifice just to make it through that day,” said Zion Byrd, Oklahoma Panhandle State University student athlete and author of the bill.
While delegates agree that the athletes need financial help, other delegates view the matter as not important. Delegates argue that even though the student athletes are on scholarship within their respected program, they are still considered college students. The delegates also agreed that the money should go back into a larger scholarship instead of “free cash.”
The bill itself needs a few amendments for certain wordplacement but overall is a strong bill. The bill sparks controversy over the idea of paying college athletes. However, people are undecided when it comes to cash for the hard working athletes. Zion Byrd is amongst several college athletes who face struggles in life between the full-time job as an athlete, student, and also finances that follow after the scholarship is in place.