The popularity of college sports is making sports programs, coaches, and
administrators wealthy. And it is money made upon the backs of athletes, who put in
untold hours practicing and performing. It's like a full-time job for them, but one for which
they are not paid their full value. College athletes should receive paychecks in addition to
their scholarships. The notion that paying college athletes would take the priority away
from getting an education is old-fashioned. Sports is no longer considered merely
innocent entertainment—it's a big-money industry.
What purpose does the underlined sentence serve in this passage?
It acknowledges the flaws of the argument in favor of paying college athletes.
It summarizes the major points made earlier in favor of paying college athletes.
It provides a brief answer to likely counter arguments against paying athletes.