Hey, i dig what your saying and i do agree; alot of those players are over paid. Now, if you look at those players that are really hard workers; those lunch pail carrying type of player(s) that does all the nasty work. They don't seem to make the boat loads of money that most make; because of this glorified player syndrome that most league teams are saturated with; this culprit is destroying the love of all these games.
Take for instance, the Miami Heat (sorry Dwadefan); if you don't follow the NBA, all you would know is the "Big 3"! and they alone eat up 90% of a teams payroll. (WTF, 90%) How are you supposed to have that kind of equal competition. Answer is you dont! You can't only buy rings in this league (NBA) anymore as the Mavericks have just shown us all. Now Dallas' owner is always spending money on players that can help his team; but he doesn't always over spend! Dirk took a pay cut just so they could aquire pieces to a decent playoff bound team; and look what they as a team accomplished this year; World Champs! If players took the approach that they need to play better team basketball, the money will come as your team keeps winning! Why be on a crappy team and making 70million dollars in 5 seasons? that just tells me your there for the money! and only the money! Michael Jordan didnt get paid like that in his first 6 seasons.
The words "Free Agency" has alot to do with players increased salaries and crappy stats.
Coaches have lots too add to this overpayment era as well; it ticks me off to see a high priced player sitting on the end of a bench suited up for play, and watch them not see the court, (Coaches descision).
I didnt want to turn this into a rant but; the term "playing for a contract" makes me turn off any game i happen to be watching! You cant tell me that a player is now playing great this season because he is playing for a new contract? that is a slap in my face and yours. So what did that player do for the prior 4 years? I'll tell you, NOTHING! And that's where this play for PAY concept came about since the mid 90's; and it's here to stay.
However we look at it; owners pay players, and players play whenever they want.
Good luck getting a decent CBA done in the NBA; the NFL players got lucky on a ten year CBA; who's next MLB, or the doomed NHL?

cheers

I think this article must be seen by maximum of people, maybe if you increase your seo level you earn visibility...

Nail Files

I disagree. Athletes are entertainers. Singers, actors, etc make more than most pro athletes. With the amount of money owners make players are getting their fair share. Not to mention that a pro athlete's average length of service is short.

I totally agree with Eski33 and disagree with the OP. Owners will try and pin the high cost of pro-sports on the talent and their salaries. They will tell you the reason that ticket prices are so high is because of player salaries. I personally doubt, that if players all agreed to take a pay cut, we would see a decrease in ticket price. Why would they lower prices? They still sell tickets now. It would just increase their profit margin. The only way to get them to lower prices is to stop attending the games. Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, here is a team that hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1967. And they never seem to contend each year. Now is it because they suck? No, they have no incentive to win, they sell out each and every game regardless.

In the end as a pro team you want the best talent, therefore you will have to pay for it. Without the atheletes, and the stars, there is no pro-sports, the owners sure as heck aren't going to be out there passing the ball around.

Regarding the Big-3 in Miami, that was a silly move on the part of the owners, they blew their salary budget on just three players... what would have happened if Lebron has broken his leg? Well.. you could guess.

also the Toronto ticket prices are still high!

athletes are indeed entertainers, but I think it's a shame that those are the people who make the most in this country when teachers, professors, and people with doctorates are usually struggling to make ends meat. It just shows how flawed our value system is here in America.

So it's ok to pay Will Smith 20 million for making 1 movie but not ok to pay D-Wade 80 million for 5yrs? Hmmmm, don't make sense right?

They practice almost everyday sometimes twice a day, not to mention they have to participate in NBA Cares, and all the other things they have to do on the behalf of the NBA.

It is based off profits not just making money:
College players make nothing yet the colleges makes BILLIONS off them.

Oh yeah, the average NBA/NFL player has multiple surgeries after retiring because of all the stress and damage done to their bodies.

Good argument but don't forget those over paid players are providing thousands of jobs in the U.S.

Well if we are getting into actors and singers maybe they shouldnt get payed that much either for 6months of work on a 2 hour movie singers I dont think get payed millions put there music is inspirational( some of them not all), and you can say movies are too but which has more lasting appeal? Maybe all entertainers should get payed a little less.

PAID PAID PAID PAID PAID PAID PAID PAAAAAAAAAAAAAID

FYI, did i mention it's paid, not payed?

They wouldn't be getting paid those salaries (entertainers or athletes) if the money wasn't there. Now, about the teachers, police, etc., common man, they knew what the career paid when they decided to pursue it. Atleast with those REAL heroes (teachers, cops, etc.), they aren't doing it for the money, which should mean something, right?

I think they do get payed too much. But they are employed by the leagues and owners and with the amount of money the leagues and owners make and revenue that comes in athletes are just getting there share. They have talent just like actors or musicians and good enough talent will bring in money. In a perfect world teachers would get paid a lot more, but there isn't a demand for teachers like there is for athletes. A teacher doesn't bring in the revenue athletes do. Not everyone can be a NBA player, and while not everyone can be a teacher there are far more people who are in the job market for teaching then for playing in the NBA. If becoming a teacher was as tough as it is to play professional football teachers would get paid more money, because less people would be able to do it.

err...I don't know why I put payed, I meant paid

2 issues with your statements.

1st. Their salary doesn't only include being paid for games, it also includes all the prep work that goes into being prepared to play a game.

Additionally, a player is going to be paid what they are worth to an organization. If an organization feels they would generate x number of dollars, that organization with pay them a set figure for those services...it's that simple. The fact that their payment is exceptionally higher than the average joe career is totally irrelevant, because the average career does not generate a fraction of what these players generate.

2nd. To your point about players not handling money well, that point is irrelevant as well. What a person does with their paycheck is totally their business, and if they make a bad decision with their money that is their problem. No one in business needs to govern how their employees spend their money.

Athletes are nit overpaid. They are paid more in relation to the profits they generate. Us regular folk only receive a fraction of the profits we produce. In fact, we are expenses and the owners takes all the profit. If tv networks paid billions of dollars a year to watch us work, we'd be paid like athletes. Sounds like someone is bitter they were not good enough to get in on the fun.

I disagree. Its supply and demand. One of the beauties of living in the glorious USA. Besides lots of athletes do good things with their dough. Sure there are a few knuckle heads but thats life.