College athletes juggle busy academic and practice schedules throughout their stressful weeks, so why shouldn't they be paid for the time they devote to sport? NCAA rules strictly prohibit players from being paid for all the hard work they do in order to protect "amateurism", but are you really an amateur working more than 40 hours a week between practice and other activities? Although students get a college scholarship, which does not cover living expenses or access to a degree at the end of their career, players should be paid because schools, coaches and big businesses profit from their free work. The NCAA is proud of itself. as an organization dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of student-athletes and equipping them with the skills necessary to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout life. To ensure that participants are students first and athletes second, the NCAA has specific rules regarding athlete amateurism. The requirements prohibit contracts and tryouts with professional teams, salary for participation in athletics, prize money and representation by an agent. (Amateurism) These rules not only limit the player's freedom, but also expose them to the risk of exploitation due to the absence of a players' union and the illegality of employing an agent. Other aspects of the NCAA rules have also come under scrutiny. Marc Edelman, a law professor at Baruch College, wrote in his treatise: Why the NCAA's Nonpayment Rules Violate Section 1 of the Sherman Act that courts are now beginning to strike down some rules deemed anticompetitive. This development is important because according to the Sherman Act "Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise...... middle of document ......ew (2013): 41. Lawsuit alleges NCAA cap and Stock Exchange conferences illegally. March 7, 2014. April 16, 2014. Mitchell, Horace and Marc Eldelman. Should college student-athletes be paid? January 6, 2014. April 6, 2014. Prewitt, Alex. A large majority opposes paying NCAA athletes, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. April 6, 2014. Schneider, Raymond. “College Student Perceptions of Intercollegiate Student-Athlete Payment.” » University student newspaper (2001).