(Image Source: Business Insider)

BY KAVEH KAGHAZI

ANCHOR JIM FLINK

You're watching multisource sports video news analysis from Newsy. 
 

Exactly how much are college football and basketball players worth to their schools?  A lot more than you might think-- according to a recent study. The National College Players Association says on average, each college basketball player is worth more than $200,000 to his university.

NCPA President Ramogi Huma explains how he thinks, these athletes are getting the shaft.

"We all know that big time football and basketball players receive much less than they are worth, but the disparity between players' fair market value, what they receive, and the money that others receive is shocking."

That’s especially true of premium athletes at name-brand universities.  For instance, according to the study, football players at the University of Texas are worth more than half a million a year, each, while basketball players at Duke are worth in excess of one million dollars.  

The NCPA calculated the fair market value for every college football and basketball player in the nation by totaling athlete’s expenses exceeding a full scholarship. The study uses NBA and NFL revenue sharing figures to simulate what each player is worth to their team.  HBO Sports’ Bryant Gumbel notes the system in place needs serious revision.

“It will make for a fairer system for the athlete if we can find some way, some way to compensate them fairly for what they’re doing for their schools.”

The numbers in the NCPA’s study are staggering. But are they right? Not according to a writer from Deadspin.

“These numbers are flawed… Athletes are paid what they're worth, but they're worth what someone is willing to pay them. Instead of fair market value, a top athlete, even in the NCAA, should be concerned with his free market value."

A writer from the Louisville Courier-Journal says the NCPA’s study does not factor in sports other than football and basketball.

“There is revenue sharing in college sports. But the revenue is not shared among the elite male athletes in football and basketball. It is shared with athletes in 30 other sports.For the ridiculous revenue-sharing model this report uses to be in place, all other intercollegiate competition — for men and women, would have to cease, or become non-scholarship.”

Finally, former college basketball coach Tom Penders tells ESPN players today shouldn’t begin to think about a paycheck.

“You know I was always taught the pot of gold came after college, after you got your degree, and I’m more concerned about money going into things like academic support and making sure kids entering college have 12th grade reading levels, not 4th and 5th grade reading levels like they have today.”

Transcript by Newsy.