2007-03-03 14:00:48 · 3 answers · asked by godzilla 1 in Sports ➔ Other - Sports
television contracts (both national and cable) pay big big bucks for exclusive rights to broadcast the games. Free agency has forced the owners to give a growing portion of these enormous sums to the players. The better the team, the more they get paid, the more available to the players.....just a big cycle
2007-03-06 03:55:30 · answer #1 · answered by Maverick 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called "supply and demand". The owners believe that particular player will attract crowds and sell tickets, so they pay that player a lot.
If Peyton Manning sells $10 million dollars worth of tickets, then the Indy Colts will be willing to pay him $6 million in order to make a profit of $4 million.
More people are watching sports these days. With more revenue from TV, merchandise sales, and rising ticket prices, there's more money to attract top players.
If people watched less sports and bought less stuff, there would less money to pay the players.
Back before free agency, players got paid crap. The team owners kept millions for themselves, and paid the players a few thousand.
2007-03-03 22:11:34 · answer #2 · answered by jackalanhyde 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because of the greed of the owners who will pay anything they have to to get the players who they "think" are capable of bringing them a championship. (Steinbrenner started the escalation, and it went out of control from there).
2007-03-03 22:10:33 · answer #3 · answered by Zeke 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋