Mizzou Football Head Coach Gary Pinkel on Paying Student-Athletes

One of the most debated topics of the sports world is the issue of compensation for student athletes. Although they receive board, books, and tuition, student athletes don’t get paid to play.

Missouri Head Football Coach Gary Pinkel recently weighed in on the issue. His answer offered the perspective of an Southeastern Conference coach and brought in the context of what his players bring to the broader scope of college sports.

“I’ve changed my view on this over the past few years just because of the amount of money now that’s in college football. You know, the billions and billions of dollars that are out there. And I think that football and basketball most universities at our level – the BCS level – most pay for the entire athletics budgets. And our players are getting room and board, books, tuition. Which is fine. They are certainly getting their education, which is important. But I think also we can give them additional money per semester or per quarter to help them and pay them back for all their sacrifices. Back in the day, players would get summer jobs, wouldn’t work out year round. Our guys work out year round, and they’re going to school to get their degree. But certainly I think we should give them more money.

The SEC is trying to get this passed, and I think it’s the right thing to do and the fair thing to do.  It’s not going to be a ridiculous amount of money, but it’ll certainly put a little extra money in their pockets so it can make their college lives a little bit easier.

Your program is your program. With the integrity of your program, what you teach is what you teach whether you’re giving extra money or not. But I don’t think it’s extra money. Your giving them money they should have. They should have had it from a few years back.

Look at the millions and millions and millions of dollars that college football is making now. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it. As long as is it done with clarity and an understanding that were trying to help the kids. But we also don’t want to make it ridiculous. “