Our culture idolizes professional and college sports teams and the athletes who play on them. The Ohio Legislature will likely pass a bill allowing college athletes to be paid for use of their images and names.
Three points:
1. These are team sports. All the star athletes are able to do what that they do because of the team and all of its members. How would the rest of the team like to see only one or two star athletes cash in? What would that do for team spirit?
2. If athletes are compensated in this way, what about the medical care, clothing, food, scholarships and any other perks that they receive at no cost? And all the free PR that gets them notoriety?
3. College performers—singers, dancers, actors, musicians—have notoriety and find their names and images on posters, boards and publications. Their work is filmed and accessible to the public in performances. Should they be equally compensated?
This legislation is one more example of our narrow obsession with sports, especially in relation to the arts.
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