Star Student-Athletes are told that they should be grateful that they are receiving a free education. Meanwhile, schools generate tens of millions in revenue and corporate sponsorship, and coaches and athletic directors are paid multiple millions of dollars because of their athletic exploits.

The NCAA should accept the reality that certain aspects of its sports have become entertainment properties and the athletes should be compensated accordingly. This is particularly true for Division I Men’s Football and Men’s Basketball.

We should create a new type of college athlete—“Performer athlete”—who is entitled to market-based compensation. This would not affect the status of any other student-athletes nor the tax-exempt status of the university. However, each university with a “Performer athlete” would be required to start an affiliated taxable for-profit entity through which both corporate sponsorships and Performer athlete salaries would flow.

Paying athletes in certain sports would lead to more resources going to the players who are both the main attraction and putting their bodies on the line each game.