Do Sport Athletes Get Paid 2 Much?

Jsarno,

What is the players union not needed? Because the owners are weak? Both the owners and the players form groups to combat the other side. I'm not sure why the players get picked on.

Not sure how the players are being picked on...but this conversation is better suited for another thread (or PM) cause it's a deep one that would take over this thread.

You get paid what you negotiate, not necessarily what you deserve.

Your perspective is relative: Are you the one paying the big bucks or receiving the big bucks.

I would not mind paying the big bucks if that investment is making me more money than it is costing me.

If I am on the receiving end of the spectrum, then 'Show me the money'.

However, I think what you are really asking here is if we think that these large financial incentives are negatively influencing the value systems of young adult athletes.

While many athletes can and do act responsibly with their newly-gained prosperity there are also many examples recently where athletes have made very bad value-centric life choices. Unfortunately, these are the stories the media loves to expose.

How many times have we heard the theme and its variations ... Money can corrupt people’s lives and values.

I don't know if they get paid too much, but they sure as hell would play for a lot less.

One thing left out in everyones calaculations is the pensions that athletes make. I know that some of the old tim NFL guys are broke but modern day players in most sports also get some sick pensions.

all these comparisons are apples to oranges...

Market forces dictate what people are paid (in most instances). If football didn't earn so much profit, then football players would get paid like soccer players (domestic). The fact is, owners pay players roughly what the market dictates because if they don't, they'll go somewhere else, or do something else (opportunity cost). Rich people don't pay other people gratuitous amounts of money for nothing; thats not how they got rich.

I don't know if they get paid too much, but they sure as hell would play for a lot less.

this is not relevant, nor do i think its true. if it were, then why do people threaten to sit out partial/entire seasons over the difference between $25 million and $30 million? Why do rookies hold out? They do this because a market value has been established for each position, and that athlete is marking himself against that market. Make a low ball bid, and the player is going to protest, no matter how much he is paid.

You get paid what the market will bear. If you don't like it, don't pay $15 to see a movie, by a $20 dollar DVD or shell at $1500 for season tickets. If you think that there is a moral argument for guys running around on a field making too much, so be it. As long as only 1700 guys are able to play in the league in any given year, 131.7 million people watch the superbowl, and the average value of a franchise in 2006 was $819 (the Skins are worth over 1.3 Billion) these guys are going to get what the market will pay them and it is a HUGE market.

Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo raked in $57 million per while helping to create the sub-prime mortgage crisis that the country is in. I have a bigger beef with that than B Lloyd taking 10 mil in signing bonus out of DS's pocket.

Excellent points- firmly agree. Except its not really out of Synder's pocket, its ours...

Excellent points- firmly agree. Except its not really out of Synder's pocket, its ours...

To an extent. Our money goes into his pocket. What he does with it is his choice. DS tends to be on the "generous" side with his cash but many other owners run nickel and dime organizations. The Bills, Jets, and Chiefs tend to be on the lower side of the payroll curve. For even better examples, take a look at MLB where some organizations have close to or over $200 million and payroll (NY, BOS) and others hover near the $30 million mark (FLA, TB). It's all a matter of economics and what the owner is willing to sacrifice out of his/her own profit.

As an aside, I wonder if DS cut payroll in half and fielded a mediocre team (think 8-8 range) year after year, how long it would take for fans to stop paying in and there be a real effect on the bottom line. My guess is that it would take nearly 10 years before it started to hurt him in the wallet. I may fault DS for a lot of things, but being cheap isn't one of them.

Wow I started a thread that went a different way from what I was talking about.


i was saying does the huge pay days contribute to the Pacman & Vick actions and attitude does it corrupt there minds?

To an extent. Our money goes into his pocket. What he does with it is his choice. DS tends to be on the "generous" side with his cash but many other owners run nickel and dime organizations. The Bills, Jets, and Chiefs tend to be on the lower side of the payroll curve. For even better examples, take a look at MLB where some organizations have close to or over $200 million and payroll (NY, BOS) and others hover near the $30 million mark (FLA, TB). It's all a matter of economics and what the owner is willing to sacrifice out of his/her own profit.

As an aside, I wonder if DS cut payroll in half and fielded a mediocre team (think 8-8 range) year after year, how long it would take for fans to stop paying in and there be a real effect on the bottom line. My guess is that it would take nearly 10 years before it started to hurt him in the wallet. I may fault DS for a lot of things, but being cheap isn't one of them.

agreed, I don't fault Dan for ponying up for talent- as I said, I think the coaches gave him a wish list of talent and he went out and got it, with a degree of reckless abandon. But in all honesty, if the Redskins weren't the cash cow that they are, I don't think he'd be spending the same way, for long...