I've thought about this one before. I never found a true answer, and most of the time I got "I don't know"'s. My question is, why do athletes get paid millions and billions and ga-jillions of dollars?
Most kids grow up loving sports. Most of them also play sports, usually more than one. But they play for fun. The most they usually get is a small trophy at the end of the season in their communtiy/city basketball, baseball, or football season. But the point is they play for fun.
But for professional athletes, sports aren't just there for them to enjoy; it's their job. People get paid for jobs, I get that. But this is what I don't get. In 2005, the median household income was about $46,000. But Tiger Woods makes $100,000,000, David Beckham and Kobe Bryant makes $33,000,000, and LeBron James makes $29 million. Alex Rodriguez makes $28 million. In fact, A-Rod makes more than the whole Florida Marlins roster!
Sure, these guys have incredible athletic ability, there's no question about that. Who can out-put or out-drive Tiger, out-kick Beckham, out-shoot Bryant, or dunk better than LeBron that's reading this? But still, some of you readers might not be able to do some of the jobs that those $46,000 families are doing. That doesn't mean they should make millions.
On top of athletic ability, these athletes are showmen and entertainers. But that still doesn't make them deserving of 7-or 8-figure checks. Magicians and clowns are entertainers, but some of them probably don't make much more than the average teacher.
Speaking of teachers, high school teachers make about $42,000 dollars annually. Can someone answer this one for me: Teachers instruct the future working force of America, the people that will be running companies or keeping companies running in the future, or doing the jobs we do right now. Without them, the future for is isn't too great. You need knowledge in some sort of field to do an average job. If there was no school, there might not be a genious Bill Gates, meaning no big computer boom. So if these teachers make us (or at least try to make us) who we are today, why do they get enough to pay rent plus a bit more, while people that hit a ball, kick a ball, throw a ball, and shoot a ball make enough for a 5 mile x 5 mile house with 20 Hummers and Vipers and all these nice cars in the driveway?
We complain about gas prices because we (usually) make (what we call) a good amount of money, but with $3.30 or whatever a gallon it does take a toll on us. Athletes don't have to worry about that because they make so much money that they can afford gas for life. They are set for life after a year or two because they can play a sport better than the average Joe can. They can toss a ball in a hoop better, so they make more than the President. The leader of our nation gets less than one million dollars to spend. Athletes get millions of dollars more than the hardest and most important job in the country.
So instead of being financially set for life after maybe a year or two in the bigs, am I saying give athletes minimum range? No. Even though this will never happen, ever, this is what I've been thinking of. Athletes get paid a set amount of money, but it's significantly lower than what they're making right now. Maybe $50,000, I don't know. Then they can make money on incentives, like $5,000 for a 30 home run season, get what I'm saying? Or their whole salary could be made on stuff like that, like for every home run he hits, Alex Rodriguez will make $1,000. I'm not giving exact amounts of money because I don't have to and I'll probably get screamed at in the comments for the number I give. That's not the point, my idea is.
So after all that I said, you're probably thinking I hate athletes. That's just about the complete opposite of my thoughts on them. I love sports, I am an athlete, I'm addicted to professional sports, bottom line, sports are my life. I just think athletes are getting paid more than they deserve, and even though that will never change, I wanted to get my thoughts out to all of you. I'm not against athletes (maybe certain athletes, but not against athletes in general), I just don't like the idea of giving $1,000,000,000 to a player that will probably never win a championship for the team that he got signed on.
I'd like to here your thoughts on this blog and this question. Thanks if you read this all.
Irina Shayk
Kim Cloutier
Gotham Girls Roller Derby
NFL Fans: Week 11
Comments (34) Add A Comment
i agree with you
YanksFan
Springfield, MA
Total Comments (1343)
good blog
YanksFan
Springfield, MA
Total Comments (1343)
nice blog bud
CDH
Winnipeg, MB
Total Comments (474)
In short, the answer to your ?: Because they can aka supply and demand.
Great work Cheez
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
Good blog,and to answer your question:idk.
(Cincy)
Jamestown, OH
Total Comments (10951)
its really hard to fathoam why they do....but when you sit back and think about what their worth is, it gets a little easier for me to understand...if they bring in millions and millions of dollars to a ompany, then their worth is most likely going to be millions...
Just like any company that works of sales...if they bring is X amount of $ in sales they get a portion of it...so when they bring in more and more $$$ their pay check gets bigger and bigger....perform better more money...
in the end i understand that its crazy to think 1 PERSON gets paid so much much...it really does blow my mind...
Steveo16220 says:…
Total Comments (6144)
I guess,it's because every fan has blown sports out of preportion,they get mucho,mucho,money,and there job it would seem is not that important.But we,the fans,we must see the incredible plays,we watch the things we'll never be able to do and only wish we can do.It is an escape from reality at times,and people get caught up in it.Owners are willing to cough up the big bucks to get athletes if they think they can get more on merchandise,tv deals,etc.
(Cincy)
Jamestown, OH
Total Comments (10951)
oh and teh teacher salaries....that all comes from tax money....so if you want your teachers paid more, you have to be taxed more in return for them to have a bigger salary...
Steveo16220 says:…
Total Comments (6144)
good article
Steveo16220 says:…
Total Comments (6144)
To answer your question, it's because MLB makes so much off of them (the players). Every one of us tries to close the gap between how much money we bring to a company (our worth) and how much we're compensated for it. Our demand and money put together create some gigantic revenues.
Sacked91-PlaxisWax
New York , NY
Total Comments (1868)
Because they can. Why does anyone make more money than anyone else. They offer something that people want and people will pay to get that in this case see an athlete play. it really is simoply supply and demand. If he didn't go to the games and pay for it then their salaries would be drastically less. There used to be a time in football where football players, professionals, would have to work another job to support their family.
P.S. no plyaer is woth 20 million a year that is ridiculous. Like Alex Rodriguez. He doesn't need 25 million a year. Lets face it all he does is hist a ball and play some catch doesn't seem worth 25 million to me. They play a game they don't need to become millionares from playing a game. It should just be for fun no the money.
Yet we as Americans want to pay to get in to see our heroes and in return for all the support the players got for the team and th money they brough in for the ownership owners will repay them. Does anyone really think A-Rod brought in more money than 25 million dollars to the Yankees. I don't think so. They haven't won a WS with him. They won't win it this year either. We just don't need to pay athletes this much.
Chengy: bye FN
Ashland , OH
Total Comments (9040)
Entertainment. That's it. We're willing to pay it, so they make it. If the Yankees didn't want to pay A-Rod $28 million, he wouldn't be making $28 million.
Capitalism: The market is never wrong.
DJTG_2010
Total Comments (5120)
Because they can; they do bring to tons of revenue.
PhillyFan
Medford Lakes, NJ
Total Comments (1236)
Yeah, but just because they bring in all of that money, they don't need to give it back to the athletes. If Steinbrenner held onto half the money that he gives to his players, would New York tax money (if I'm correct) be going into the construction of the new Yankee Stadium? Probably not.
Cheezhead
Shimtown, PA
Total Comments (7348)
I like reading these comments, keep it up.
Cheezhead
Shimtown, PA
Total Comments (7348)
You think Steinbrenner is thinking of stadium construction or WS trophies when he spends his money?
Cassidy's House:…
Whatsittoya, NO
Total Comments (16281)
I agree with you they aren't worth that much. It is just what the market has become.
Quick Fact do you know who the Person who's yearly salary was worth more than an entire teams salary cap?
It was Albert Belle who made 7 million a year with the White Sox he beat out the Marlins. Pretty crazy right. Blame him he is used to it. I mean contracts have just exploded. Teams are over spending and players are over asking.
Chengy: bye FN
Ashland , OH
Total Comments (9040)
would you like to make 50,000 when you know your worth millions?
Steveo16220 says:…
Total Comments (6144)
No, I am saying instead of 28,000,000 make it say 15,000,000
Chengy: bye FN
Ashland , OH
Total Comments (9040)
If you can make $28 million, you're sure as hell going to make that $28 million.
DJTG_2010
Total Comments (5120)
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