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College football players are fighting for more compensation in the Supreme Court : Planet Money College athletes are considered amateur players. And amateurs don't make any money. But can they get more education paid for at least? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.

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Amateur Hour at the Supreme Court

Amateur Hour at the Supreme Court

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MORGANTOWN, WV - SEPTEMBER 01: Shawne Alston #20 of the West Virginia Mountaineers carries the ball against the Marshall Thundering Herd during the game on September 1, 2012 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
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Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
MORGANTOWN, WV - SEPTEMBER 01: Shawne Alston #20 of the West Virginia Mountaineers carries the ball against the Marshall Thundering Herd during the game on September 1, 2012 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

You cannot play in the NFL without playing football in college first. For three years. College football is the largest amateur sport in the country. Billions of dollars in revenue flow into universities year after year.

The student athletes who help bring this money in are offered tuition, housing and books, but nothing else. Until a court said, actually, players should be able to get more benefits, as long as it's related to the pursuit of academic studies. So, private tutors, free grad school, things like that. That case is currently being argued in the Supreme Court. Today on the show: NCAA vs Alston. Are student athletes getting fairly compensated for their work? And if not, how would proper compensation change amateur sports?

Music: "Legacy," and "Numbers Game."

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