Are salaries too high for athletes?
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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.
Agreed. Furthermore, I'm in the military, and have worked in law enforcement as well. Would I like to be paid more? Sure! Who wouldn't? But I knew of the risks and compensation involved before I joined.
The amount of money pro-athletes make is of little concern to me. In America, you have a .00565% chance of becoming one. That's one half of one thousandth of one percent. And the chance of becoming an all star and/or being awarded one of those 100 million dollar contracts is FAR less than that. People have paid to watch high-level athletes for centuries. Competition is in our nature, and as long as people will pay to watch, athletes will get paid to play. If you're the best of the best, good for you.0 -
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.0 -
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...0
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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.0 -
Of course they make too much money, but if you are willing to spend 9 dollars on a beer at a sporting event and $80 for a jersey, they will continue to make the big bucks.
I don't really care if they do, though. If I had some highly sought after talent, I'd get the most out of it that I can. Unfortunatel, just being good-looking is n't working.0 -
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.
Good point. I support working hard to make money. I'm all for people's freedom to do what they want with their lives. But after seeing discussions here about redistrubituing weath, I highly doubt a pro-quarterback is going to be ok with that.0 -
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.
Good point. I support working hard to make money. I'm all for people's freedom to do what they want with their lives. But after seeing discussions here about redistrubituing weath, I highly doubt a pro-quarterback is going to be ok with that.
Why not? I mean I expect some wouldn't and some would, and still tohers wouldn't care, just as in any other top paying positions? I expect no real difference in the variety of opinions from quarterbacks vs. whoever0 -
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.
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
-Debra
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