College officials pretend that they are genuinely interested in the intellectual development of their top athletes, when what they really want is to field winning teams. With the money young athletes would make, they should be able to afford a real college education in the off-season or when their playing careers are over. Students who want to be in a classroom learn a whole lot more. Some would be bothered by this dramatic severing of the link between college sports and a college education, perhaps on behalf of the genuine scholar athletes. Something is better than nothing.
University presidents have the power to make a change.
Each year, they vote on NCAA rules, maintaining the status quo. College athletes have no labor union to protect them from exploitation. We want economic freedom. The solution is simple. Either pay us enough to cover all college expenses with the profits we earn or allow us to be employed.