These student athletes are students before anything. They are there to earn a degree, playing sports is just an extracurricular activity. Cinnamon Sheffield, Athletic director at the University of North Texas, gives points as to why student athletes should not be paid. She says “The main reason they will be coming to UNT is to earn a degree which they will own for the rest of their lives.” She stresses how important earning your degree is over playing a college sport. She also says “We remind them that athletics is a privilege, academics are the priority” (Sheffield). This reinforces why college athletes should not be paid. Their academic progress should be the most important thing to them while attending college. Paying these student athletes would convert their focus to the money, and no longer would focus on obtaining their