Are Pro Athletes paid too much money?

[vern_humphrey]

Players say that if a team makes money then it should share its profits (over and above their paid salary) with the players as they helped to create a winning team.

This to me is pure and utter greed and in my opinion sinful.

I wonder, if the players feel that way would they accept a pay cut in their salary if their team loses money?

What is it about the team owners that makes them special? A thing is worth what a willing buyer will offer, and a willing seller accept.

The player’s salaries and compensation are the result of negotiations between the buyers (the owners) and the sellers (the players.) They have come to an agreement over the worth of the players’ salaries.

Where do we fit in that buyer-seller negotation? What have we done to qualify us for a seat at the negotiation table?

If they want some of the profits of the team then they should go and be an owner of a team. Pay half a billion dollars (at least) on a stadium that will have a lifespan of 30 years, pay hundreds of millions of dollars each year for at least the first five years with no profit whatsoever and then when you do make a profit, fight with greedy selfish players who say that your blood sweat and tears are theirs.

Anyone who has ever been an athelete – even at the grade school level – can tell you the atheletes put out blood, sweat and tears in reality. And they do it in quantity. The owners do so only metaphorically.

Personally, I wouldn’t pay a dime to see anyone else play a game, nor buy any article of clothing with a player’s name or picture on it. But there are others who feel differently – and are willing to shell out the bucks.

 

[childofmary1143]

What is it about the team owners that makes them special? A thing is worth what a willing buyer will offer, and a willing seller accept.

The player’s salaries and compensation are the result of negotiations between the buyers (the owners) and the sellers (the players.) They have come to an agreement over the worth of the players’ salaries.

Where do we fit in that buyer-seller negotation? What have we done to qualify us for a seat at the negotiation table?

Anyone who has ever been an athelete – even at the grade school level – can tell you the atheletes put out blood, sweat and tears in reality. And they do it in quantity. The owners do so only metaphorically.

Personally, I wouldn’t pay a dime to see anyone else play a game, nor buy any article of clothing with a player’s name or picture on it. But there are others who feel differently – and are willing to shell out the bucks.

Well as far as the negotiation table goes we are the ones that pay both of them. Like I said in the OP players make this money because the Owners can afford it, because we agree to fund it through the purchase of tickets and other merchandise/services.

Yes you are right to correct me about how much work players go through to become professional athletes. They work a lot harder than most people do. Plus with all the traveling that they have to do at odd hours and it takes a toll.

FYI there was on the radio the other day some statistics about baseball players. There are 1,500,000 kids playing little league baseball but only 1000 of them (actually less since there are many players from outside the U.S.) will make it to the 40 man Roster for Major League teams.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Well as far as the negotiation table goes we are the ones that pay both of them.

I don’t pay them – I wouldn’t pay a penny to see someone else play a game, nor buy a product because it had a team logo, or an athelete’s endorsement.

Those who do buy tickets and buy stuff like that do so voluntarily.

Like I said in the OP players make this money because the Owners can afford it, because we agree to fund it through the purchase of tickets and other merchandise/services.

And those who do that, do it voluntarily.

Yes you are right to correct me about how much work players go through to become professional athletes. They work a lot harder than most people do. Plus with all the traveling that they have to do at odd hours and it takes a toll.

Indeed they earn it – it reminds me of elk hunging. I get a lot of meat, but I really have to work for it.

FYI there was on the radio the other day some statistics about baseball players. There are 1,500,000 kids playing little league baseball but only 1000 of them (actually less since there are many players from outside the U.S.) will make it to the 40 man Roster for Major League teams.

Now there is a real problem – Author Ashe (a professional tennis player) pointed out there are only a few thousand professional atheletes in the world, but there are millions of children who want to be professional atheletes – and who often neglect their studies and other talents to pursue that almost-hopeless dream.

Here in Arkansas, we had a brouhaha not many years back over the University of Arkansas basketball coach. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ran a story pointing out that in the entire history of basketball at the University of Arkansas, no varsity-level player had ever graduated.

Atheletics is a monster that devours children.

 

[AHapka]

So the team owners, promoters and other fat cats should keep more of the money and give less to the players?

I would consider the players fat cats too

Personally, I think our seat at the negotiating table is by us paying to see these events (for those that do). If people stopped buying tickets, the paychecks would drop due to simple economics.

Secondly, I think that there is too much money in pro sports because they have duped our cities and states into paying for the stadiums. I think it’s just wrong to completely fund a business like that. I know many businesses get tax breaks, but come on. What if Microsoft told Seattle “you need to build us a whole new corporate headquarters or we are moving to whatever city will give it to us.” And then it get’s paid for by taxing everyone, even those who disagree.

Though people are starting to protest…

The citizens here in Racine got so upset with the .1% sales tax to fund Miller Park that we sucessfully recalled our state senator for voting for it. It had a major impact, because the senator recalled was a republican and a democrat won the special election. It tipped the balance in the state senate from 17-16 republican to 17-16 democrat. You can bet if another stadium financing bill comes up in Wisconsin, those politicians will be very careful how they proceed.

Andy

 

[Peregrino]

Why are almost all politicians at the national level rich by common standards? How many “poor” politicians (or middle class) do you see at the national level? I am more interested in this question…

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Well as far as the negotiation table goes we are the ones that pay both of them. Like I said in the OP players make this money because the Owners can afford it,

no

because we agree to fund it through the purchase of tickets and other merchandise/services.,

yes, it is our decision

Yes you are right to correct me about how much work players go through to become professional athletes. They work a lot harder than most people do. Plus with all the traveling that they have to do at odd hours and it takes a toll.

FYI there was on the radio the other day some statistics about baseball players. There are 1,500,000 kids playing little league baseball but only 1000 of them (actually less since there are many players from outside the U.S.) will make it to the 40 man Roster for Major League teams.

now your getting it however 1000/1,500,000 sounds to low. There are 30? teams times 40 slots = 1,200 total with about 25% turn over so roughly 300 slots per year to get filled! There about 10 times that many player who made it to the college level, and another 40-100 times that many in the high school ranks probably 200 times that amount in pre-high school and to use your number 5,000 times more playing little league. As many free market systems it is a skills lottory with $0 paid at all lower levels. If you simply paid every player an equal salary you might well be paying $1 per hour, good luck having a pro sport then.

…
Here in Arkansas, we had a brouhaha not many years back over the University of Arkansas basketball coach. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ran a story pointing out that in the entire history of basketball at the University of Arkansas, no varsity-level player had ever graduated…

did you mean under the coach in question? He did not graduate players and made a famous statment concern that subject

Atheletics is a monster that devours children.

No, athleltics allows children to use their natural hormones in productive outlets, it keeps kids off the streets and reduces their time in the bed room. Problem rates are much, much, much lower among athletes that is why many schools try to require some form of atheletics

…If people stopped buying tickets, the paychecks would drop due to simple economics.,

but replaced by what reality TV?

Secondly, I think that there is too much money in pro sports because they have duped our cities and states into paying for the stadiums. I think it’s just wrong to completely fund a business like that. I know many businesses get tax breaks, but come on. What if Microsoft told Seattle “you need to build us a whole new corporate headquarters or we are moving to whatever city will give it to us.” And then it get’s paid for by taxing everyone, even those who disagree.,

it happens everyday now it no longer makes the news, you are correct it is wrong

Though people are starting to protest…

The citizens here in Racine got so upset with the .1% sales tax to fund Miller Park that we sucessfully recalled our state senator for voting for it. It had a major impact, because the senator recalled was a republican and a democrat won the special election. It tipped the balance in the state senate from 17-16 republican to 17-16 democrat. You can bet if another stadium financing bill comes up in Wisconsin, those politicians will be very careful how they proceed.

Andy

Your dead on with this. Government has to free up the land or there would be no stadiums, however the Team should pay for all cost or no deal. Taxing citizens to pay for entertainment is an abuse of authority.

 

[buffalo]

Yes!!! And I believe it affects their desire on the field. Sports have moved to entertainment by bad actors.

Just play ball. Enough with I can’t feed my family on $5M per year.

 

[Newbie2]

Atheletics is a monster that devours children.

No, athleltics allows children to use their natural hormones in productive outlets, it keeps kids off the streets and reduces their time in the bed room. Problem rates are much, much, much lower among athletes that is why many schools try to require some form of atheletics

Gotta agree with TR on this one, at least for the average kid who doesn’t have the talent or aspirations to play Div. 1 College or Pro.

College and Pro Athletes do get eaten up by the system, unless they’re at the very top, in which case they get to call some of the shots.

Time spent with athletics also, in general, makes kids more efficient with their time, at least if they have parents who don’t think they’re the next big NHL, NBA, NFL, etc. superstar.