Bunch of cheap skinflints

Quote: Mild Rover "Not only that, but you're potentially shutting out talent.
We have to deal with the World as it is, rather than as we'd wish it to be - so if the only way to get experience is to work unpaid, you might hold your nose and accept that. All I'm saying is whenever anybody offers you a great opportunity, whatever it is, have a good hard think about whether it really is. I might be cynical, but if anybody thinks the intern system is [inever[/i exploitative, then that is naive. This particular one might be great - some are, and if you're not doing anything else, I guess they can be decent cv fodder. I stand by what I said about a month being enough though -maybe 2 at a real push. We get unsolicited requests from young people all the time, and occasionally in moments of weakness I'll let one come in and mildly inconvenience me for 2 or 3 weeks - I wouldn't want them for longer than that though, for their sake as well as mine.'"

People will be exploited in all forms of life at some point, even if they're paid a wage. It is each individual's responsibility to make their own judgement as to what's in their best interests. No one is forcing them to do anything, they have a choice.

What people seem to be wanting here (mainly cod'ead) is for their to be no choice. Shooting your mouth off and thinking that suddenly there will be this magical extra money to pay these people with isn't a solution at all, it's an illogical and poorly thought pipe dream. The simple fact is that many companies will either offer these unpaid internships (is it confirmed that it's unpaid yet?) or offer nothing at all. Paying them isn't on the list of options, not because they're greedy, but because there simply isn't any money!

I do see what you personally are saying, but your opening line saying that free labour doesn't look good is completely out of touch IMO... especially in the sports industry!