Do sportsmen get paid too much?

1. 77

   rafkenposted 13 years ago

   Do sportsmen get paid too much?
   
   They supply us with entertainment, now that there is TV, because we can't afford tickets to see it live. They should get good pay. The whole thing has gotten out of hand. Especially if there is no clause in their contract that says, "as long as they remain a good role model for the young".

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2. 53

   arun1125posted 13 years ago

   Yes they do considering they play a game for their living.

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3. 61

   shynslyposted 13 years ago

   Yes. Cops, firefighters, soldiers, etc. risk their lives in the line of duty, and if they're LUCKY might hope to make $50K a year by the time they retire, assuming they live that long.
   
   Athletes make millions a year to play the same games most of the rest of us do for fun on the weekends or at family picnics.
   
   Don't get me wrong, I'm one of those right-wing capitalist nut jobs, and I don't begrudge the athletes themselves one bit for getting rich.
   
   But it does say something very ugly about our society that the ball handlers get to be millionaires while the life savers more or less live in poverty.

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4. 61

   John B Baddposted 13 years ago

   We live in a free trade society.  Even though I think they are over paid sports are still a business.  The owners are making money (in theory) off of the players skills. 
   If the players were not getting the money they are the owners would still charge the same entrance price because ticket prices are set by supply and demand.  You have a limited amount of seats and many people who want to watch the game. 
   My point is if the players did not make so much the owners would just have more profit.  I would rather see the players get a piece of the pie than have it all got to the owners. 
   I know it is not a perfect system and sometimes teams go broke because they over pay players but hey that is business and this is a free market society.

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5. 70

   bogerkposted 13 years ago

   Is it a lot? Yes. Is it too much? That's hard to say. Sports make millions and millions of people happy in their life, so, that might be priceless.

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6. 59

   Jason Hillposted 13 years ago

   I think it really depends on several factors. I mean, we are after all the ones paying them-buying tickets, memorabillia, etc. I think they should recieve a decent wage. However, when I think of the babies of the world that are starving to death while some guy makes millions a year cause he can throw a ball- that just doesn't sit well with me.There needs to be a balance, as with all things.

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7. 61

   TheRaptorClawposted 13 years ago

   Sports people are here to entertain us. They are likeyl to get hurt and it costs a lot to go to the hospital. I think that sportsmen or athletes are paid a fair price. As long as they continue to entertain people they are paid fair.

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8. 59

   The-Lposted 13 years ago

   Well, I could agree only with that that they truly don't deserve millions. They should get paid well, but not millions of dollars. Personally I play basketball, I know how much work and sweat you have to add in order to get a good result. The ones that are on TV are the best of the best, they worked so hard to get to the point they are that many of us will never understand. I think they deserved good payments, but those hundreds or tens of a million $ a season are just too much.

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9. 60

   ExpertCLBposted 13 years ago

   As long as people, mostly men, shell out thousands of dollars a year for tickets, jerseys and other sports products...then they are getting paid what they are worth.
   
   The pros are bringing in money for their owners therefore the owners need to pay them for their services.
   
   Not ideal but its just the way it is.

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10. 66

    Hideki-ryugaposted 13 years ago

    Since their career is short-lived, they have to make a maximum of cash in a short period of time (they have families, too). So even if some of them get a lot of money, it is a dearly-won money as long as there is nothing wrong with it.

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11. 59

    Finance Termsposted 13 years ago

    There is some evidence that sport star salaries will decrease as the cable business changes.  No more subsidization of sports on TV by people that don't watch.  NFL, MLB, NBA revs will decrease from TV in the next five years and that will hurt salaries of players.

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12. 89

    mcrawford76posted 13 years ago

    Keep in mind with this question that the average NFL career is only 3.3 years. And players have injuries and issues that last them their whole lives. So consider that when you see a million dollar contract. I think the better question is how can we better care for our retired "entertainers"? Too many die broke and in pain, that's the part that I think isn't right.

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13. 0

    dennahposted 13 years ago

    Yeah.though some.The likes of Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Christiano Ronaldo and so on.In some countries where there are top athletes like Kenya and Ethiopia, these guys really make cash

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14. 67

    ExpandYourMindposted 13 years ago

    The elite in every arena usually make top salary. They are paid on par with the salaries of top executives, who benefit from longer career longevity or a generous severance package if the job disappears.  The athlete is the employee of a franchise which brings in billions. That being said, personally, I'd like to see the entire industry take a step back financially so that tickets are more affordable.

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15. 60

    AndroidSuperFanposted 13 years ago

    As far as providing entertainment, that is true.  Yet this really shows what we value as a society.  We pay teachers who make a huge impact on children's lives a craptastic amount of money yet sports stars (which many don't give two shakes of a stick how much of a role model they are to kids) so much more.  Granted, there are the good ones who realize this and form charities and are good role models (i.e. Michael Vick *wink wink* no I don't really mean he is, are you kidding me?). 
    
    Then you can argue that movie stars also get paid way too much but they do have their talents and I would say most of them are pretty good role models, although with the onslaught of celebs going to rehab or dying of drug overdoses lately proves otherwise...

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16. 61

    HAYESREBposted 13 years ago

    This is just such a broad question to ask.  In my opinion they make too much, but I give them props for making that much. They only make what they do because we are willing to pay for it.  I pay at least $3 to get a fabulous fancy coffee and I complain every time I have to pay for it....yet I keep buying them.  The coffee is full of sugar and fat....yet I keep buying them.  As several other people have stated....it's our society...not the athletes.  We don't care who they are and what they represent as long as when we need them, they are there to entertain us and do it well.

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17. 60

    Security Newsposted 13 years ago

    I don't think anyone makes too much money. It’s all based on what you can do and how many others are capable of doing it as well as you. As long as people will pay to watch them or buy the products that come from advertising, then they'll continue to get paid extremely well for it.

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18. 57

    royalbertposted 13 years ago

    Not every sportsman gets too much money. There are many who doesn't even get a chance to even play on a higher level. And those who get high paid reached that level with great hard work.

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19. 39

    webtwilightposted 13 years ago

    I think paying entertainers high dollars, makes people look away from the sport.  But if I was making that kind of money, I wouldn't care.  I'd be laughing.  But I don't so I will look the other way.
    Go Habs Go.

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20. 56

    OnlyDGHposted 13 years ago

    When comparing the work of athletes to those of doctors, police officers, teachers etc. it is very easy to say that they get paid too much!   I mean there are so many other professions out there that do "more" for others than just entertain us!  I personally believe that athletes get paid too much, but sports are such a big money business that athletes can be paid such a high amount.  Those who place a high value on sports entertainment cause athletes to be paid accordingly...

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21. 67

    mtalbot2987posted 13 years ago

    Depends what sport. Soccer/Football players get paid far too much. Olympic athletes don't get paid anywhere near enough (although again it depends which event it is, I'm sure Usain Bolt gets enough). Most sports people make a majority of their income through sponsorship, so if they are in a popular sport they stand to make more money. It's not fair but that's the way the world works.

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22. 83

    mulberry1posted 12 years ago

    I would say they are paid too much. I realize some of them have great skill and have worked very hard. I think they need to make very good money. But the argument that their career is short is weak. Careers are short for many people and increasingly so. We have to adapt and find new careers.
    
    Furthermore, it doesn't require 2-20 millon dollars a year for 15 years to make it through life. Most people live on much, much less during their entire life than some of these athletes make in one year of earnings.
    
    Just like executives, I don't begrudge them the wealth that they earn, but as a whole, no business should get rich on the backs of others. In other words, if everyone could afford the games and we didn't have to also pay huge taxes to support the sport...I could live with it all. A pro athlete's only contribution to this world is the entertainment of people.  If people can't routinely enjoy the sport they need to cut the pay. (as well as the pay of the execs and others in this business)
    
    
    As far as the role model thing goes...I say people need to stop watching a team if they want to influence a change. I hate it that they are poor role models, but the public can demand better via their wallet.  Pro sports are hardly a necessity in life and it's our own fault if we (society) allow these individuals to become role models. I know it's hard for a lot of people to believe, but in some families, pro sports and athletes aren't even a blip on the screen.

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23. 66

    RASOposted 12 years ago

    Yes, they get paid too much. My thinking is that soccer players are overpaid, especially in La Liga, premier league and others. Sometimes I ask myself how the hell will they spend so many millions of €

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24. 86

    Express10posted 12 years ago

    As just one of thousands of figure skaters in the U.S. I PAY thousands a year to do what I love. I think some athletes are overpaid (if they can't perform well overall) however, what is commonly forgotten is the fact that many of their careers are very short and many never finished or even attended college, limiting some options for their future earnings and their salaries do take this into account. If they choose to squander their money, that's their problem but the smart ones take this short career into account and plan well.
    
    Golfers, race car drivers, NBA, and NFL players get paid handsome sums and I would be lying to you if I told you that I would turn those types of paychecks down. Only the people who sign their checks can say that it's gotten out of hand though. If the fans are fed up with paying high prices they can make it a priority to not funnel money towards those teams or sports.

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