Do professional athletes deserve their pay?

CWBhawkeyes

CWBhawkeyes

Banned
I was just thinking yesterday that every time we have a family get-together and the men watch sports, half of the guys are adamantly against watching anything pro; whether it be NFL, NBA, NHL, or to some extent even PGA. They think that "people shouldn't be paid to play a game" and make generalizations such as "those guys make millions and don't give any to charity." Personally I disagree, but what do you think?
 
I think that what they (professional athletes) do generates LOTS and LOTS of money so I don't see any reason that they shouldn't get their fair share of it. Honestly, I cannot understand why your relatives have the opinion that they do.
 
CWBhawkeyes said:
I was just thinking yesterday that every time we have a family get-together and the men watch sports, half of the guys are adamantly against watching anything pro; whether it be NFL, NBA, NHL, or to some extent even PGA. They think that "people shouldn't be paid to play a game" and make generalizations such as "those guys make millions and don't give any to charity." Personally I disagree, but what do you think?
Click to expand...

Your family is weird. I've never had somebody refuse to watch a game because the athletes "made too much". They make what the market bears. Can't blame them for that.
 
It is sickening when you break down how much some of them make, but you can't blame them. I would take it in a heartbeat if put in the position. And for the record, many of them do give back to charity. Of course, many give it to strippers too...
 
It's an entertainment industry. There is a demand for the best players, because they generate the money with their skills that others don't possess.

Ask them if they've heard of supply and demand?

Then ask them if they boycott movies because movie stars make so much? The highest paid actor usually makes 60-80 million per year.

Then say, "The one thing I like about family get togethers is that most of the time I'm just a normal guy of average intelligence. But when I'm around you people you make me feel like a genius."
 
CWBhawkeyes said:
I was just thinking yesterday that every time we have a family get-together and the men watch sports, half of the guys are adamantly against watching anything pro; whether it be NFL, NBA, NHL, or to some extent even PGA. They think that "people shouldn't be paid to play a game" and make generalizations such as "those guys make millions and don't give any to charity." Personally I disagree, but what do you think?
Click to expand...

They need to wake up and realize that the athletes have every right to make that much. Do I like to see how much they do make? No, it's ridiculous. But with as much money as they bring to the owners, I'd rather see them get paid their fair share over seeing the owners pad THEIR wallets even more.
 
I love when people love to argue about how athletes make soooo much money and doctors dont make anything to save peoples lives, but the fact is its only a small percentage of athletes who actually are getting paid these fat contracts. For all the ones you see in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB there are 100 times as many struggling just to live each week making less than 200 dollars a week.
 
Do they deserve their pay? hmmm that's a tough question. Do the CEO's of huge companies deserve their pay? another tough question. The amount of money is rediculous but that's the kind of society we live in, in a way. If there was no way to get that amount of money then the competition wouldn't be as great. With no competition then our country would basically suck. What I would like to know is would your family not buy the products of business just because their employers are making to much money? I doubt it. The athletes didn't sit on their arsses all day and im guessing God didn't just bless them with this unbelievable talent. They worked for it, morning, day and night and most likely continue to do so.

For some of your family to make the generilzation that "those guys make millions and don't give any to charity." is insane and they have to be living underground because there is plenty of athletes who give back to their communities and other charities. I find that ignorant and a bit insane. Of course there are some selfish people and they don't give a dime but that isn't just with athletes you can find that from anyone in this world.
 
It's not insane at all. People continue to pay a lot of money, so owners will continue to pay the best players a lot of money so that their team is a winner and people will want to see them. You can call it a game, but it really is a business, and a huge one at that.
And these are also people that say that Kirk Ferentz gets paid too much money. Kirk is worth every single cent. They could double his salary and it would not bother me one bit.
 
Wouldn't you need to see each team's annual revenue and bottom line to determine whether each player's take is appropriate?

I would guess the financial data supports them making what they make, or they wouldn't be paid what they are.
 
Once people stop liking sports, athletes will stop making money. Considering the Olympics was around a few hundred years before Jesus, I think the wives are in for a long wait.
 
sounds like your family would enjoy life in a socialist country. The market is what the market is. I don't take that out on the players, most peoples' goal is to maximize their income in their profession.
 
Yes - it is simply demand and supply. I see NFL and MLB salaries continueing to increase. Unfortunately, I think the NBA player's union is going to be in for a shock over the next 10 years.

Jordan stretched NBA salaries to the limits. The past few years the NBA has been losing something to the tune of $400 million dollars. You can't keep getting higher salaries when your sport is running a deficit.
 
gohawkz said:
It's an entertainment industry. There is a demand for the best players, because they generate the money with their skills that others don't possess.

Ask them if they've heard of supply and demand?

Then ask them if they boycott movies because movie stars make so much? The highest paid actor usually makes 60-80 million per year.
Click to expand...

+1. As long as people are shelling out the $$$ to come out to the stadium and watch them play, I'm ok with it. You can't tell me a top-flight actor "deserves" $60 million a year, but if that's what the job pays.... I can't blame anyone for not turning down that kind of money.
 
CWBhawkeyes said:
I was just thinking yesterday that every time we have a family get-together and the men watch sports, half of the guys are adamantly against watching anything pro; whether it be NFL, NBA, NHL, or to some extent even PGA. They think that "people shouldn't be paid to play a game" and make generalizations such as "those guys make millions and don't give any to charity." Personally I disagree, but what do you think?
Click to expand...


You have two discussions in one-
1. Do athlete's deserve their pay?
2. Is your family weird because a good portion of the guys won't watch a 'pro sport' on the premise they (athletes) shouldn't be paid to play a game?

To answer one- Athletes (pro and college) are entertainers and entertainment is big business that generates lots of money. They also, typically, have a skill set very few of us possess. For all of these reasons they deserve to get paid handsomely. Sure, some are not worth the $$$$ they're paid, but that's true in ever business/industry.

To answer two- I will simply say those 'guys' in your family are not really sports guys. That's fine, not everybody is. However, if even one of them uses the $$$$ and/or uses the line about 'being payed to play a kids game' than that's weird. For the record, the guys I know that don't like sports simply say 'I don't really like to watch sports' or something in that vain.
 
I'd rather see the athletes get their share of the money that they are responsible for producing rather than the owners raking it in...although I like how Goodell is trying to improve the character of the athletes though.
 
gohawkz said:
It's an entertainment industry. There is a demand for the best players, because they generate the money with their skills that others don't possess.

Ask them if they've heard of supply and demand?

Then ask them if they boycott movies because movie stars make so much? The highest paid actor usually makes 60-80 million per year.

Then say, "The one thing I like about family get togethers is that most of the time I'm just a normal guy of average intelligence. But when I'm around you people you make me feel like a genius."
Click to expand...
Pro baseball player average salary 5 million
Cancer Researcher (with PHD) 49-64 K per year
Heart Surgeon at UIHC. Approx 150-200K
Which of the above contributes to society the least.
 
MikeyJoe said:
That would be a very interesting and poignant question if compensation was in any way determined by "contribution to society".
Click to expand...

Exactly. Society isn't the one signing your paycheck.

I also find it odd that people are complaining how much athletes make on a forum where atheltics and athletes are discussed ad nasuem. When you guys post links to the cancer research sites you visit daily, then I can be convinced that doctors are more valuable to you than sports.
 
the system is what it is- there's obviously a supply and demand limit for what every person will pay to go watch these guys. honestly, if they weren't being paid this much- do you think the owners are REALLY going to cut costs to the fan THAT much when they can pocket the profit?

the other side- it would be interesting to see all players play for the minimum salary and based on their performance receive bonuses to reflect production. no idea how that would be done- but it would be interesting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top