Are Professional Athletes Overpaid?

[Demonic Lament]

I say yes. They are paid to catch a ball, run, put a ball in a hole or kick something. I honestly believe that all of that money that they don't need should be sent straight to military personnel, firefighters, police, EMTs and the remaining can be divided into the economy. That's my opinion. I just think that the athletes don't need a four story mansion, five cars and a olympic-sized swimming pool/basketball court in their patio.

THIS THREAD IS NOT FOR TALKING ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE TEAMS, PLAYERS OR LEAGUES. ALSO, THERE IS TO BE NO ARGUING OF INTERNATIONal SPORTS VS. AMERICAN SPORTS!!!!

Discuss...

[Eris]

They are. I don't think they should be payed at all. If anything, they should be punished for leading kids away from noble intellectual pursuits.

[Demonic Lament]

I'll agree with you. How can they call themselves role models by making 12million dollars for playing a sport for 4-7 months and they don't even play everyday! Some people can't even DREAM of seeing 12 million in two lifetimes!

[Teddy2116]

Well they are paid to entertain. Its like an actor getting paid a mil for doing a movie. So I don't believe they are getting overpaid.

[akuNoHikari]

Originally Posted by Teddy2116

Well they are paid to entertain. Its like an actor getting paid a mil for doing a movie. So I don't believe they are getting overpaid.

What the hell are you talking about? There's a difference between being "paid" and being DROWN in money!! The amount of money they get paid is not equal, or even close to what they do to earn it! And yet, Eris is right. How many children fail school to pursuit their football "dreams"?

I don't understand the people who are obsessed to death with football -- Those who spend hours and hours watching it and waste tons of their money on watching it, all in vain. The funny thing is that most of them don't even play it! If people who are obsessed with football reduce the time they waste on watching it to half, and spend the other half reading a book, they'd all become scientists! In fact, even if they spend the other half PLAYING football rather than watching it, it would have been more beneficial to them.

This applies not only to football, but to any other game that involves a ball. But I'm talking about football because it's the one that has the highest popularity, and thus highest effect on people's heads. Man, it doesn't deserve all that obsession! And professional footballers don't deserve 1% of the money they get paid!

Spoiler:
 I hate football with passion!!  

[Snowolf27]

Let's go cardinals....*cough*

Yes, and teachers are underpaid.

-Sno

[3pleT]

Everyone who gets more than 10000 bucks a month is overpaid.

/thread

[Teddy2116]

Originally Posted by akuNoHikari

What the hell are you talking about? There's a difference between being "paid" and being DROWN in money!! The amount of money they get paid is not equal, or even close to what they do to earn it! And yet, Eris is right. How many children fail school to pursuit their football "dreams"?

I don't understand the people who are obsessed to death with football -- Those who spend hours and hours watching it and waste tons of their money on watching it, all in vain. The funny thing is that most of them don't even play it! If people who are obsessed with football reduce the time they waste on watching it to half, and spend the other half reading a book, they'd all become scientists! In fact, even if they spend the other half PLAYING football rather than watching it, it would have been more beneficial to them.

This applies not only to football, but to any other game that involves a ball. But I'm talking about football because it's the one that has the highest popularity, and thus highest effect on people's heads. Man, it doesn't deserve all that obsession! And professional footballers don't deserve 1% of the money they get paid!

Spoiler:
 I hate football with passion!!  

How much do you think they are paid actually? On average, a professional athletes maybe 4mil pre season. Which doesn't end up being that much. Of course you're think "hell that's still to much" but also think about this, what if said athlete is injury and can not play for the rest of the season. Yes of course he still gets his money but he has to pay for his own medical bill (provided that he doesn't have insurance) therapy for after his injury is healed. I think they're over paid for the publistaty they do but that's with everybody that do adds and what have you.

[Memento Mori]

While I think the payment of teachers, which are worth so much more to society, is pitiful compared to an athlete's, I don't believe they are overpaid.

If someone is willing to pay that amount, if the consumer or team manager is willing to sign the athlete on and give them that amount, they are not "overpaid". What they do is silly, I know. But someone is willing to pay for that silliness.

[Gero50]

Of course they are very overpaid. I think getting paid over a million dollars is completely nonsense as far as that goes. I don't disagree they should be paid a lot after all they are our stars the ones we come to see play a particular sport. That is where my point comes in proes get so caught up in making money and having more then they will ever spend in like 3 or 4 lifetimes they lose feeling and sense of the sport and their lives to be honest. I mean if you ever hear about crime in sports it is always one of the proes never is it like college sports. Though I'm sure some college sports players may in fact be doing something wrong like breaking the law or something, but the matter is 90% of it happens with the Pro teams.

[blueangel06661]

I think they are paid more than needed. But keep in mind professional sports isn't like a game at a local rec. center. These guys/girls get injury's and still have to act as if it's nothing to keep the game going half the time. Think about how you break a bone or sprain something and your on the couch complaining about it and getting your family to wait on you hand and foot. But they are out there practicing getting ready for the next available game.

[Memento Mori]

Also, take into consideration that most of their money is made by how famous they are. People PAY to watch them play. It's not like the money is just given to them for no effort. Sure, only a small percentage actually goes to each individual player once you cut other expenses, but times this small percentage earned by 100,000 PER GAME.

Like I said, it's disgusting to see how low the average teacher wage is, but this has nothing to do with athletes. They aren't overpaid, they work, just like everyone else. The only difference is that the Average Joe doesn't get endorsments.

[Exquiro]

Surely all things are worth whatever people will pay?

Like Pollock. I hate his stuff, but someone's willing to pay for that crap which automatically makes it valuable. I voted no, and agree with Mori.

[Eris]

I think we should let British aristocrats hunt professional athletes. I bet their trigger fingers are itching now that they can't hunt foxes any more, and we could broadcast the slaughter on TV, making sports redundant. And we wouldn't have to pay the athletes any money any more.

[Forgotten Show]

By what measure? Straight up subjectivity "That's an awful big number and I don't like it" or paycheck-to-revenue ratio? 'Cause we have to remember that as much as we talk about how overpaid these guys are, they're generating enormous revenue, and that ratio of what they're paid to what they make the company might very well be the same as most other jobs. Also, whatever people might say, people keep buying the product at the list price.

If applied to do window washing and somebody wanted to pay me $100/hour to Windex the windows of a shopping center, I'd be a damn fool to pass that up. If the company is willing to and can afford to pay it, the employee is fine with it, and the product sells, I don't see how any one can argue they're overpaid.


Bad Memory

[Kanokonfan]

They are without a doubt overpaid. Some of the main ones like David Beckham and prats like that especially. Every country has problems with poverty yet some on these athletes get within a few months more than some people will earn in their entire life and what do they do for it? Play a little game. The same game as millions of kids play in the park every evening for fun. The world would be a better place if the money spent on overpaid athletes was spent tackling poverty.
Its the same with actors and singers although not quite as bad seeing as they have to do a bit of work preparing and they may need to act parts they my not enjoy. Professional athletes are getting paid millions to do their hobby.

[Forgotten Show]

A lot of you guys seem to be assuming it's a government that pays these people, or that the government does, or ought to, have say in how people get paid and for what...


Bad Memory

[SigmaSD]

Well of course they are overpaid. They are paid more than a teacher, heck they're paid even more than a doctor. And those jobs are presumably more important than entertainment, right?

But you have to look at it differently. Do you really value intellectuals nowadays? The answer is no. We actually value entertainment to fulfill our pleasures of free time. So its not just athletes, but actors, singers, etc. They get paid a lot because its what our society values most.

[Eris]

Originally Posted by Forgotten Show

A lot of you guys seem to be assuming it's a government that pays these people, or that the government does, or ought to, have say in how people get paid and for what...


Bad Memory

At least where I live, that's usually what happens when a local sports team is struggling: The local government steps in because the local sports team is Too Important to Fail™. The same goes for their sports stadium that can't make enough money to really be sustainable...

Just a few weeks ago, this happened. A local women's soccer team (albeit pretty big, like world championship winner big) was struggling, and the local politicians GAVE AWAY TAX MONEY to them.

[Demonic Lament]

If you look at entertainment value, then yeah, they get paid but the fact is that they get paid and still have millions left over after spending millions upon millions on useless crap. Has anyone ever watched MTV Cribs? Half the stuff these celebrities and athletes have are useless and they admit half the time that they never use them! Surely if I'm going to spend my hard earned dollar on something, I'm gonna use it. I work for my money and get by well. I don't see myself needing to make millions a year to sustain my lifestyle.

[TheAsterisk!]

Originally Posted by Memento Mori

While I think the payment of teachers, which are worth so much more to society, is pitiful compared to an athlete's, I don't believe they are overpaid.
If someone is willing to pay that amount, if the consumer or team manager is willing to sign the athlete on and give them that amount, they are not "overpaid". What they do is silly, I know. But someone is willing to pay for that silliness.

Firstly, not all teachers are good or even competent, so not all of them deserve a job, let alone greater pay. Individual merit should determine reward, but it's really usually teachers' unions.
Secondly, the OP seems to be angry and disgruntled (something with which I'm familiar!), not asking a free-market question.

Originally Posted by Eris

I think we should let British aristocrats hunt professional athletes. I bet their trigger fingers are itching now that they can't hunt foxes any more, and we could broadcast the slaughter on TV, making sports redundant. And we wouldn't have to pay the athletes any money any more.

I assume I can purchase tickets somewhere?

At least where I live, that's usually what happens when a local sports team is struggling: The local government steps in because the local sports team is Too Important to Fail™. The same goes for their sports stadium that can't make enough money to really be sustainable...

Heck, even here there's a "coliseum" that's a complete dud, paid for wholly by the city.

The other issue I have with athletes is that no one else, aside from politicians, could have such a high failure to success ratio and remain employed, let alone get rich off it.
Football, specifically, annoys me most because no other sport (here, anyway) has so much mindless fanfare and build-up for every single meaningless event.
When you further consider that most sports fans are really just Trekkies plus beer (they dress up like their favorite players, they can recall trivia, they gather in large groups for organized events, they passionately defend their favorites, etc.), the whole affair is laughably bizarre.

[mimichan1000]

I think they are overpaid.
When they are re-signing or being traded, alot of them complain that they are'nt being paid enough so they will hold out until they get what they want. Most of these athletes get loads of money from endorsements or other projects they have.
It baffling how these people get millions to play a game and yet most of us can't even get a raise....

[International 4-8818]

Well, yes, hey are payed a lot of money to do what they do, but it is all relative for what they are doing. In america, well for the world that is, sports are very popular to watch. You can't go without a season of the year without some stupid sporting event happening on the tv. But that is the thing, because it is so popular, companies use the popularity to use it for advertisements. To an advertiser, if there are a lot of people watching one thing and I got an advertisement to be broadcasted during the sporting event, a lot of people will see it and will buy my product.

It is not just the advertisers that know this secret: the people who broadcast the sports also know that it is popular. This now has to do with supply and demand. If advertisers want that product placement slot during the sporting event so bad, they have to compete for the segment by paying the most money.


But, the supplier has to have the "goods" if you know what i mean. We all see the low grade sports aka pee wee baseball which no one gives a flying frack about and then high school/college sports which gain more popularity but when you get into the major leagues or national/international sporting events, you get the better players and the more popularity. It is because of the better players that create the popularity. Viewers don't really want to spend their time watching a sporting event that is just simply terrible. Because of this, the supplier needs to find good players in order to get that add revenue from advertisers.

[Grim Scythe]

Can i expand the question to Actors as well? Specifically the big, A-List, silver screen ones? Because in comparison they don't even really do much physically unless they are paid to do it. (I.E. 300, a large group of men spend about 3 months getting jacked and tan. I seriously doubt they did not get paid through that.) I can personally argue both sides of this over thought question.

YES they ARE overpaid:
* These professionals get to play a game that they most likely love or loved at some point in their life

* They practice and play and live a relatively carefree life.

* And as many are most likely to try to keep themselves clean and safe, there are a fair number of opposites that just turn life into a huge "I'm rich" power trip and do not take care of themselves.

*What they play is most likely just as engaging or mindless as any other sport played. The masses will watch anything, public hangings and reality TV are my support for that.

NO the ARE NOT overpaid:
*They are in the game all the time, on and off the field because of rabid fans if they have attained that level of celebrity. Like going to Walmart and being spotted and mobbed for autographs when all they want is to buy trash bags.

*They work on the bodies constantly, and some may have contracts that limit what they can do in their off time to prevent possible injury like ride motorcycles or rock climb.

*During seasons they could have a schedule that calls for constant travel away from their families.

[Teddy2116]

Originally Posted by Grim Scythe

Can i expand the question to Actors as well? Specifically the big, A-List, silver screen ones? Because in comparison they don't even really do much physically unless they are paid to do it. (I.E. 300, a large group of men spend about 3 months getting jacked and tan. I seriously doubt they did not get paid through that.) I can personally argue both sides of this over thought question.

YES they ARE overpaid:
* These professionals get to play a game that they most likely love or loved at some point in their life

* They practice and play and live a relatively carefree life.

* And as many are most likely to try to keep themselves clean and safe, there are a fair number of opposites that just turn life into a huge "I'm rich" power trip and do not take care of themselves.

*What they play is most likely just as engaging or mindless as any other sport played. The masses will watch anything, public hangings and reality TV are my support for that.

NO the ARE NOT overpaid:
*They are in the game all the time, on and off the field because of rabid fans if they have attained that level of celebrity. Like going to Walmart and being spotted and mobbed for autographs when all they want is to buy trash bags.

*They work on the bodies constantly, and some may have contracts that limit what they can do in their off time to prevent possible injury like ride motorcycles or rock climb.

*During seasons they could have a schedule that calls for constant travel away from their families.

What do you mean they're overpaid cause they're doing something they like or love. How does that qualify them as being overpaid?

First off how do you know they live "carefree" life. They're humans just like the rest of us and I'm sure they have their share of problems and stress over them like the rest of us.

They're overpaid cause they take care of themselves? So we're all overpaid cause we try to stay clean and safe? Really?

Lastly, how is it mindless work? Yes anyone can go out there in throw a ball or what have you, but same can be said that anyone can go out there and be a doctor without schooling. Tho that's unlikely but it is possible