Do you think pro sports players are overpaid?

Question

Think about it. The world can go on without pro sports. this was proven during hockey/ baseball lockouts and strikes. Try getting a meal when there is no waitress to take your order.

Answer 1

Hell yeah!!!

I would think that money would be far better spent on teachers, police, firefighters, military...

Answer 2

I think you're looking at this totally wrong in 3 Major ways.

1. No single source is deciding who gets paid what. You can't just use some of the money going to hockey players and give it to teachers or doctors instead, its not a choice between one or the other, they arn't paid by the same people. No one's running the 'Maple Leafs Sports Entertainment and Outpatient Care' company.
Athletes are Paid a portion of the income their sport makes, If they wern't paid it, then the team Owners would just be keeping it, it wouldn't go to someone more deserving or anything.
NHL Players salaries are calculated directly from the income of the league, and the league's income comes from tens of millions of people.
So though a doctor may be very helpful to 50 maybe 100 people a day, an NFL player may have 60,000 people show up to a game with 20million more watching on TV. All those people contribute to revenue earned and increase what that player is worth. If having a player on your team means your team earns $10million more a year, then that player should be payed a large chunk of that money.

2. Very few jobs are 'necessary'. They're only 'necessary' if you want the product they produce..Why is it important to have waitresses? Is eating out at restaurants any more important than going to a Football game? They're both optional activities, You can cook and serve your own food. So trying to pretend all these other jobs are so important is dumb, only a few things are truly necessary.

3. Supply and Demand of people. Out of 100 people, probably 75 of those people would be capable of being a waiter, Out of 100 people, maybe 5 to 10 would be capable of being a Doctor. But out of 100 people None would be capable of being an NHL player.
And frankly some excellent Doctors do make plenty of money, in the millions. There's a lot of Professors who make a lot too, they're highly skilled in high demand. There is no such demand for most other workers.

People arn't paid something because its 'Fair' they're paid what they are WORTH.
Not what they're worth Socially, Emotionally or any Care Bear stuff. They're paid what they a Worth in Dollar terms.

Sports Generate money in the Billions, MLB has a larger economy than some countries, if that money didn't get to the players who made it happen, that would be the rip-off.

Players are Paid what Owners are willing to Pay them. That's the Market Value.

Answer 3

You have to look at the bigger issue here. The players are just the tip of the iceberg, the people who are in the front lines. As a normal person looking in, yes, they are overpaid. However, looking at what the whole sports industry brings in money-wise, they are paid on a level of what the owners make.
These idiotic owners agree to give them more money then prices at the stadiums are raised, along with other things (tickets, merchandise, etc...). Most teams, unless you're losing money like the Yankees, make money and still pay their players. People aren't in business to lose money. That's seen when a team leaves a city for another.
On the flip side, pro sports players practice their craft day-in and day-out. You or I, most likely can't say that. When you're done with work for the day you likely go home and don't think about it until tomorrow. (though I could be wrong). These guys are out there in the morning and afternoon practicing before the big game that night. So one can argue that they get paid for the amount of time they put in.
But like they guy above me said, it's supply and demand and as long as we pay the prices to go to the ballparks these players will continue to wine about how much more the next idiot makes.

Answer 4

Here is something that a lot of people seem to forget. Sports franchises, on the whole, make millions and millions and dollars. Some of them make billions. That is a fact, and it is a fact that is not going away anytime soon. People love sports, and they'll pay to see it. That said, who deserves all that money? The owners? Sure. But do they deserve ALL of it? Who is Joe Schmo really paying his $50-100 a ticket to see? Mark Cuban? George Steinbrenner? Jerry Jones? Mike Illitch? Or is he paying to see Dwyane Wade, Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, or Sydney Crosby? The fact of the matter is that we, the people, are paying millions of dollars to see these athletes play. A good portion of that money deserves to land in the hands of the people that are putting us in the seats. It is NOT like the alternative is that the owners will fork over the money to charity. Not likely happening. Give it to the players who deserve it, then.

You can argue that doctors, teachers, and firemen deserve that money more... and you'll be right. If you really feel that way, though, stop paying to see sporting events and donate the money to your favorite charity instead. In the meantime, there are sports fans in this country, and they are not going anywhere. So I'd just assume that the money goes to the people I am paying to watch, and not some suit in the luxury box. I particularly support the players that have good character, many of which do more in their spare time in one year to help doctors, teachers, firemen, and especially children than the average Joe will do in a lifetime. I, for one, am a big hockey fan. Most of these guys have hearts of gold, and spend hundreds of hours a year doing charity and visiting children's hospitals. The ones that don't can go to you-know-where, but most of them do what they can.

I'll tell you another thing: very few people on earth would turn down a million dollars or more to go play a game they love. I'd like to see if you would! Then the question is this: what would YOU do with the money? Give it all to a waitress? It is interesting that just about any waitress can confirm this little nugget: rich people tend to tip poorer than regular people do. It is a bizarre world we live in. I'm afraid the alternative to athletes being "overpaid" is no sports at all, and a lot of kids in childrens' hospitals would live to regret that. A lot of waitresses would, too, particularly those working at sports bars and restaurants.

Answer 5

For the most part, yes they are. Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees is a prime example, making $25M every year. Some guys, however, such as Ryan Howard in Philly, who is going to get only $900,000, are more reasonably paid, and deserve something for their ability to play their particular sport better than anyone else in the world. Also, NHL players can only be paid between $1M and $8M a year because of the salary cap, but a lot of those guys getting paid near $8M are overpaid, although they are very talented players and are definitely among the best players in the world and deserving of some sort of recognition for that above annual awards ceremonies. So, in conclusion, most pro athletes are overpaid, but some are more reasonably paid than others.

Answer 6

You are possibly in the exact same ship as a large proportion of sports gamblers up and down the nation who are losing way more than they ever win. It's likely you have the sporadic win that maintains you coming back for more, but all of the time your choices lose. And that fees you ever more money! If you intend to set the end at this problem then you must search here https://tr.im/UxSiv .
With Zcodes you will get the equipment guidelines so you can get the bets and more.
Zcodes System also includes a very effective community that also weighs in and gives there two dollars about each game. Maybe there's an integral damage Zcodes does not know about. Number concerns, the community members enables you to know before you set your expense down.

Answer 7

I would like to see the day when a teacher or a firefighter can get an agent and negotiate a $48M contract. It seems riddiculous that athletes can get so much money for playing a game. I realize that there is a risk for permanent injury, but the same is true for construction workers. They are also away from their family for 4-5 months a year, but so are millitary members. I don't see any reason for such high saleries. I think that what irks me the most is not how much they make, but how much they make combined with the thought that they don't make enough. An NBA player who was suspended is losing out on $200,000 over 10 games. What would you do with $20,000 a day?

Answer 8

This is old, and I already got a Best Answer for this type of question.

Athletes sell advertising. They also put fans in arena seats. The owner of the team makes money from this. The amount they are paid is a percentage of what is brought in.

Some teachers don't try to teach well. My doctor isn't helping me get healthy. Do they deserve more money? I have a choice to support the athletes and their high salaries (or not). I won't have a choice if teahcers get more money, and my tax rate will go through the roof. And health insurance and doctor costs are going up already. And that I don't have a choice in.

Answer 9

They make too much but I don't think they're overpaid. When professional sports teams can pay these kinds of salaries then the teams definitely are making some huge profits - if the labor (the players) wants their share of the profits then I don't think it's unfair for them to negotiate for it and get it.
I do think they make too much - but that's a product of these huge ticket prices, cable TV prices, fan merchandise prices etc. that everybody seems so willing to spend. People should get sensible.
Also, they make too much when you consider the amount of good that they really do for the world - which is minimal. But the people who really are doing the best for the world rarely get paid very much of anything, either in money or recognition.

Answer 10

it depends on the sport to be honest. for example football players are playing 16 games a year, hockey is 82, and baseball and basketball are both well over 100. of those 4 hockey players take home the smallest checks and baseball players bring home the most. personally i think there should be a pro-sports salary cap somewhere around where hockey players make. it keeps the games affordable to go to, and honestly does a-rod deserve a quarter billion dollars to run around in tight pants touching balls and feeling up a piece of wood? male strippers do that too and make a fraction of that. meanwhile quarterbacks are out there getting pummeled every 30 seconds and then they get up and play through injuries... something baseball and basketball players dont know anything about... in reality they are all overpaid and i think they need to limit their salaries before its $1000 a ticket for a mediocre seat. plus its not fair to the dude tahts selling beer up and down the bleachers at these games for minimum wage, hes got a more physically demanding job than most infielders. salary cap every sport, keep it fair for the smaller markets and keep the games affordable so we can all afford to go to a couple games a year and watch our favorite players/sports. before you know it only moviestars and other pro athletes can afford to go

Answer 11

Not compared to actors, actresses, musicians and the people who make those little clasps on cabinets that let the door keep opening so that you bang your head when you go into the kitchen. Those idiots don't earn anything and have lengthier careers.

Athletes work very hard for their money, have short careers and spend a lot of time away from family and home. Yes, they are compensated above their contribution to society but have you ever had the corner of the cabinet door get you right on the side of the head? No, cabinet clasp makers are downright evil!!!!!