The few thing I have not agreed with when it comes to professional sports is the ridiculous amount of money that is handed out for athletes to perform!
My passion is baseball, and I'll use that as an example. This year the New York Yankees signed five all star players to their line up this off season simply just on free agent signings. This doesn't include any players that needed contract extensions already on the team, or official office employees. On those five players, the Yankees spent $465 million dollars on their contracts.
I'm sorry but these men get to do what they love, getting paid for it is a bonus, this money is great for them but think on a larger scale; this money is so much more useful outside of spending it on these athletes. The list goes on and on as to what it could go towards so I am not even going to use an example.
I love baseball, and sports is my passion. But this amount of money being spent on athletes is simply wrong. I don't believe we will ever see shift in the way this money is being handed out and it is a sad, true reality.
I agree that players get paid outrageous sums of money to play a simple game of baseball, but, if you were a player in the league, would you turn down a salary like that? I think this goes over the players heads, and they just accept what they feel they can get. Time to boycott baseball, boys and girls!
ReplyDeleteHey Ben I appreciate the comment, but I could NEVER boycott baseball. Maybe if Barry Bonds get's voted in to the Hall of Fame. I totally hear what you are saying though. If I felt I was getting paid too much I would never turn it down!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree but it's the nature of the buisiness. Star players attract fans, large amounts of talent give fans a sense that the championship is a reality convincing them to save up their hard earned money for tickets, clothing and other merchandise. North America has found baseball and football as the continents favourite sports and this focus generates substantial amounts of money. Let's not forget that this isn't just in the profession leagues as well. Those who watched the winter classic between Detroit and Toronto saw the amazing stadium at Michigan state. As long as a majority of people focus on one sport it will be gain substantial amounts of revenue and thus be able to pay players ridiculous contracts.
ReplyDeleteWe can not forget the amount of taxpayers money is used to subsidize this industry as well. Stadiums are the big one !!
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ReplyDeleteI agree with John in a sense. As long as those industries continue to generate that amount of revenue they can pay their players whatever they want without any moral hardship. I think it falls on the players who accept those outragously large salaries to take the moral course of action and donate to responsible charitys and give back to their fans/supporters when they can. I don't know that their is any evil in a booming industry paying high salaries or in those 'employees' accepting those salaries as long as they can find ways to make posotive impacts on the world with the money that they have earned.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2014/3/12/5501084/cristiano-ronaldo-child-surgery-charity
I feel similar to the way you do Tyler! Though honestly I feel like I NEED to get paid lots, because I feel like I'll know where to put the money responsibly, and not just to my family, but to other places as well where they are needed. It's sad to see athletes who don't do anything helpful with their money though.
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