Division III Student-Athletes Perceptions of Pay for Play

Since the NCAA was first created, the subject of academic corruption in intercollegiate athletics has been of significant concern and empirical inquiry (Ridpath, 2008). There are many current issues that are still ongoing today such as: the denial of payment of Division I football players, the exploitation of student-athletes in academics, and the difference in treatment between student-athletes and students academically. Although this may not always hold true at all Division I schools, previous studies have concluded the values and missions of the NCAA seem to be misaligned with what they are actually promoting. I would like to prove that the NCAA is in need of some serious reform especially the commercialization and exploitation of student-athletes in big time Division I programs. My research question is does the NCAA properly align with the missions and values they have in place? More importantly I would like to show that the values and missions the NCAA currently has in place does not align with what is really taking place in intercollegiate athletics.