There are so many issues here. First if they are paid they are employees of the university and are eligible for workmens comp and unemployment insurance and all other rights other employees have. That is a big cost to the school. Second, who sets the pay rates and since ALL athletes have to be paid who decides how much the 4th string field hockey (whatever position) gets compared to the 3rd string long snapper on the fball team. And the largest problem and why all sports will be stopped is most schools cannot afford all the costs. So sports will be scrapped and you can't just kill some of them.