How much should professional athletes make?

[Charade]

Totally agree the government should have some sort of payscale for all occupations, those that make more than scale should have to relinquish to the government so that they can reapportion the money to another more worthy person/occupation.

What "price tag" should they put on your job? Just curious.

 

[Barbossa]

Professional athletes are entertainers, they should get paid whatever the market will bear.

 

[perdidochas]

I couldn't resist.

With all of the teacher-bashing going on (and yes, I'm a teacher), I wonder what you all think of NFL and MLB players and the millions that they "earn".

And even though I posted this tongue-in-cheek, my answer is that is makes me sick.

Let's take that money and roll it into education and see what a difference it could make in the wilting school systems across the country. I'm so tired of my salary being common fodder for debate.

Just sayin'.............

The market should determine all of it (including teacher salary).

 

[perdidochas]

Totally agree the government should have some sort of payscale for all occupations, those that make more than scale should have to relinquish to the government so that they can reapportion the money to another more worthy person/occupation.

Should the government also determine what products companies sell? Do you honestly think the government is so free of corruption that the above payscale would be fair?

 

[marlynnp]

They should make as much as they can.

That goes for everybody.

I don't care how much more one person makes over another.

The only thing that aggravates me are the people sitting on their duffs that I have to support with my tax dollars.

 

[princesspeach]

Totally agree the government should have some sort of payscale for all occupations, those that make more than scale should have to relinquish to the government so that they can reapportion the money to another more worthy person/occupation.

There are plenty of communist countries in the world you could move to.

 

[princesspeach]

Athletes aren't being paid by my taxes. They should make as much as the market bears. Comparing gov job to a private sector is stupidity. Teachers work part time and get paid more than enough for what they do. If your a teacher and don't like your salary go do something else. Those athletes are paying millions in taxes that support the teachers. I probably would not complain about their salary.

 

[goofy4prez]

You're right it is scary, but it seems everyone can find a reason why their profession is the one that is most agrieved (sp?) and needs some sort of "intervention". Where will it end?

Oh and no thanks the government already takes too much of my money and spends it in ways I think unnecessary and extravagant.

So of course my sarcastic comment was just a reply to all of the threads on how much certain professions are worth.

I have to admit the sarcasm went right over my head.

 

[perdidochas]

There are some, they are private schools which usually have better teachers that earn better pay. Unfortunately they are not free, and I do believe a country needs to have a good free public education system available to its population in order to improve the lives and livelihoods of its citizens.

Most private schools pay their teachers significantly less than do the public schools.

 

[perdidochas]

I have to admit the sarcasm went right over my head.

Sarcasm is hard to detect on an internet forum.

 

[IdesOmarch]

30 million a year to play baseball (ALbert Pulols $25 mil A-Rod) 1 million dollars plus a game (Brett Favre) Its beyond ridiculous and I think that is one reason you are hearing more about a lockout in Football and Basketball. Next maybe Baseball, although they went through something like this a few years ago. Its pretty bad when the billionaire owners can't even make money because of these ridiculous salaries.

How about Charlie Sheen making 2 million PER EPISODE for his stupid TV show, now that is even worse than the athletes.

 

[Minnie_me]

Teachers work part time and get paid more than enough for what they do.

Teachers work part time?!??! I don't understand this. Are you one of those bitter people who claim that teachers work 9 - 3 and get 3 months off in the summer? Ha.

There are plenty of threads already on this board about teacher hours, so I'm not even going to bother. I know how much I work. I know how much my colleagues work. I know how much I earn. I've never complained about my salary. I just wish other people would find something else to complain about.

 

[Donaldswife]

You both have valid points.

Thank you, you made me think about some things today as well.

 

[Donaldswife]

Actually, if this bothers you, then Jerry Jones is not the person towards whom you should direct your anger. I would start with your state legislature who approved the funds. Or the Governor who approved the funds. Or your fellow citizens who voted for the referendum approving the funds. Jerry Jones just asked. It was EVERYONE else who said yes. They could have said no.

If you are not happy with the decisions of the government in Texas, then move to a different state or vote the people out who make the decisions you don't like.

It is a market economy. Supply and demand. Athletes only get paid what the market will allow.

Actually my anger is at Jim Irsay, and the local Indianapolis politicians who let themselves get blindsided by a team that threatened to move away after a Super Bowl win and a shot at hosting a Super Bowl that may or may not happen. The decision and deal were made emotionally on the City of Indianapolis' part, not on the actual facts and was not thought out enough, IMO.

 

[Donaldswife]

Most private schools pay their teachers significantly less than do the public schools.

I'll admit, I don't know a lot about the average salaries, etc., so I may have spoken out of turn. I know a couple of private schools in my area that pay considerably higher than the public schools and that is what I based my opinion on. Do you know where I could find out the stats on what private vs. public school teachers make?

 

[disney11fan]

I teach in New York.........nobody's throwing money at us. We've had a cut of about 6% in our school budget for 3 years in a row. We're losing teachers and programs left and right. All the while, the state continues to make the standards for learning more and more rigorous. How are we expected to meet their demands if they keep forcing us to sacrifice staff, materials and programs?

It's like paddling a boat, upstream, and the boat is leaking.

average teacher salary in our district is $80,000 per teacher job. our school taxes our out of control and the school board is controlled by retired teachers and admin.

every year they increase spending and the teachers get there face lifts and tummy tucks. i had enough.

 

[disney11fan]

30 million a year to play baseball (ALbert Pulols $25 mil A-Rod) 1 million dollars plus a game (Brett Favre) Its beyond ridiculous and I think that is one reason you are hearing more about a lockout in Football and Basketball. Next maybe Baseball, although they went through something like this a few years ago. Its pretty bad when the billionaire owners can't even make money because of these ridiculous salaries.

How about Charlie Sheen making 2 million PER EPISODE for his stupid TV show, now that is even worse than the athletes.

to turn off the tv, stop buying name brand merchandise and the sponsors that support the leauges. if you watch it you support it...simple as that.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think it depends on the sport. American football players can be seriously injured and spend a lot of their offseason staying in peak physical condition.

Baseball players, on the other hand, do not. Baseball players do play a lot more games per year (10 times as many), however.

 

[Handbag Lady]

These people make way too much $$! I think there should be a cap on how much they can earn per year. They are making millions to dribble a ball while policemen and firefighters are putting their lives on line each day to keep us safe! Also all the doctors that go through years of schooling to find new ways to keep us healthy will make not even close to what these athletes are making. I find this seriously wrong!

Don't even get me started on how much hollyweird people make!

We don't make THAT much money. Oh, sure, some of the ones that are actors and directors make bank, but most of us do not.

 

[midas]

I can understand this. our Governor (at the time) was Fast Eddie Rendell and he pushed and pushed for CAsinos saying that if they allowed the casinos to be built he could do away with property taxes or at least significantly lower it. People agreed to let the Casinos go in

what happened next was not lowering property taxes... it was funding a new Peguins arena in Pittsburg. I'm not happy about that. Mostly because he pulled the wool over everyone's eyes promising lower property taxes to get his way and then when he got his way we all got the shaft.

but I also realize that is a problem with the politicians who allow that to come out of tax payer money. it's certainly not the athletes fault.

AND I also realize how much money that brings in to stimulate the economy as well.

While I'm no fan of Fast Eddie, Consol Energy Center is being paid with 7.5 million per year from the owner's profits of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh (not state money) 7.5 million per year from a state economic development fund that comes from casino revenues (State money), and 4 million per year from the Penguins.

The 7.5 million from the economic development fund is part of the portion that comes to the Pittsburgh area and doesn't affect the portions to other parts of the state. This fund was set up in addition to the fund to lower property taxes.

PA took in 1.1 BILLION in casino taxes in 2009. Property taxes were eliminated for a number of senior citizens, and a rebate was sent to others that applied. The rebate was small, so many did not see significant tax reductions. There were benefits, but not what was projected.

While the casinos in PA haven't delivered as far as tax reduction, it's unfair to say that the casino revenues in the state were diverted to building the arena in Pittsburgh instead of lowering taxes.