I think what's even more disturbing is the fact that after the athletes make all that money, a large percentage end up broke when they retire. I've always wondered what the inner cities would look like if all professional athletes decided to donate 10% of their wealth to educating impoverished communities and opening businesses in those communities to help out.

Why restrict that to just athletes? Why should they be any more obligated to be better people than anyone else?

I'm not restricting it, but it is a reality that many if not most athletes come from impoverished circumstances and know what those communities go through. People usually gravitate to the evil they know. People get Parkinsons, they do charity for parkinsons. Family member gets AIDS, they crusade for the cure. Cancer walks, ect.

I know what you are saying and it does represent a worthy ideal. While I don't think that athletes or successful people are entitled to special privileges, I don't expect higher levels of moral behavior from them either. I think that being fortunate with money carries an obligation to have an appreciation for your good fortune, but I don't know that it obliges someone to be a better person.

I don't know whether it's just cynicism or my own definition of "equality".

Maybe I'm just being naive. It's probably easy to day dream what we would do as multi-millionaires, but once the average joe gets stinking rich, who knows what they would do with it.

Ever seen that show Toddlers in Tiaras? It's like a blueprint for what stupid people do when they get their hands on too much money.

its supply and demand. how many people in the world can play QB as well as Brees? 3? 4? how many people can be a fireman, police etc...? lots

they charge 200 for tix because people will pay it.

How many people can be President of the United States? Far fewer than can play football. But if the POTUS (not talking political parties here. I mean ANY POTUS) made $100,000,000 people would have a fit.

Very true, and I think they are woefully underpaid for what they do. But Americans would throw a fit if the president earned a salary commensurate with what he actually does. $250k is not NEARLY enough for all the stress of the entire nation.

How many people can be President of the United States? Far fewer than can play football. But if the POTUS (not talking political parties here. I mean ANY POTUS) made $100,000,000 people would have a fit.

The position of President is a service position, not entertainment.

So it's even MORE important then. We NEED a President. We don't need professional sports teams.

So it's even MORE important then. We NEED a President. We don't need professional sports teams.

We are the ones who drive up their salaries. Some of these athletes are insanely talented! And I could argue that society does NEED entertainment. I just don't like the thought of the athletes being used by the owners and te leagues to get rich and then only receiving mediocre salaries themselves.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8163701/sources-drew-brees-new-orleans-saints-agree-record-contract

Does it disgust anyone else that athletes are signing $100 million dollar contracts when police, firemen and military members put their lives on the line for citizens and struggle? Doesn't that speak loudly about our priorities?

Not to mention they make up for these salaries by charging $200 a ticket for a football game..

If people didn't pay $200 for those tickets and if revenue from ad sales because people watch sports so much, athletes would not sign $100 million contracts.

Police and firefighters get paid by tax dollars. Apples and oranges.

Of course they should. The franchises they play for are worth hundreds of millions, and in some cases, billions of dollars: http://www.therichest.org/sports/most-valuable-nfl-teams/

Funny, I never hear anyone asking if the owners are making too much money.

I'm glad this topic came back up. I'm seeing lots of people here who don't think that athletes make too much, but are constantly complaining about CEO's and Boards of Directors of private companies (the 1%) making too much money...

I have no problem with either, personally. I could make a lot more money if I wanted to work a lot more hours than I do. Find me a CEO who comes to work at 6:30, gets an hour lunch and leaves for the day (and leaves work at work!) by 3:30 p.m. AND gets weekends to him or herself, then I'll complain about it. But I honestly don't want to trade my freedom for money. I made a choice in profession and they made a choice in profession.

And people rarely complain about what movie stars make, either.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8163701/sources-drew-brees-new-orleans-saints-agree-record-contract

Does it disgust anyone else that athletes are signing $100 million dollar contracts when police, firemen and military members put their lives on the line for citizens and struggle? Doesn't that speak loudly about our priorities?

Not to mention they make up for these salaries by charging $200 a ticket for a football game..

What saddens me is how upside down and inside out modern priorities are in regards to value. This is like my aunties (may they rest in piece) good furniture. We'd visit and either have to sit on plastic covered couches and stuffed chairs or else were herded into the den where the worn furniture was placed and could be used. No one sat on the plastic covered "good" furniture because it was stupid, yet those pieces were valued more on the market than the furniture that actually got used to rest our weary bodies!!!

Besides the problem with ticket prices of professional sports, my biggest problem is all the members on a roster who don't play hardly at all (sit on the bench most of season) but still rake in a minimum of $250,000 a year (in football anyway). See the article below. It's like my aunties (RIP) useless plastic wrapped furniture that everyone hated and made fun of. The NFL and other like them will soon price their tickets out of range for most but the elite. NBC reports that since 2007 attendance at games has steadily declined. No wonder!

I prefer my sports where the participants have to pay their own dues and fees, and where playing well means more than money (like roller derby and USAA swimming). I also prefer my people and items of value to be useful and utilitarian - not just for show and occassional display.

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Average Salary
• For 2009, the median salary across the NFL is approximately $1.4 million per year. Quarterbacks lead the pack, earning close to $2 million per year, followed by defensive ends at $1.5 million and offensive linemen at $1.2 million. Tight ends had the lowest average salary, at approximately $850,000 per year.


(from: http://www.ehow.com/facts_4927175_money-does-nfl-player-year.html

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-Debra
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