How much should professional athletes make?

[Minnie_me]

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'.............

 

[chewbacca]

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!

 

[shirleyb]

Tax dollars aren't paying for professional athletes.

If the amount they make, makes you sick, boycott the sport by not attending, not watching on TV and not buying the merchandise. If everyone did this, salaries would drop. It's supply and demand, market driven.

 

[Donaldswife]

I agree that professional athletes make too much money, but I do think their salaries should reflect the short nature of their careers (since they have a limited amount of years in their career.) But millions per season is ridiculous! I think a $200,000 to $300,000 salary would be a fair amount. Maybe if they didn't make millions per year they would be more inclined to finish their educations and be prepared a career change once their athletic ability can no longer be physically sustained.

FWIW, I think teachers salaries should be over $100,000 a year too. It's a tough job and should be compensated as such.

 

[joviroxx]

Like anything, they should make what the market demands. These are private business that make A LOT of money. The athletes are getting their fair share. As long as people wants these sports, and are willing to pay the prices they pay, then the business should pay it in salaries accordingly.

Now, if people have an issue, stop paying the money to go to sporting events. Don't condemn the athletes and owners for their money, get on the patrons who pay into it. Lets not forget the amount of charity athletes, sports teams and associations do for their communities.

 

[Janet Hill]

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.

 

[shirleyb]

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.

Really? That's all we need, the government to determine salaries.

 

[joviroxx]

I agree that professional athletes make too much money, but I do think their salaries should reflect the short nature of their careers (since they have a limited amount of years in their career.) But millions per season is ridiculous! I think a $200,000 to $300,000 salary would be a fair amount.

And where should the extra money , collected by a private business go if not to the athletes who put their bodies and livelihoods on the line?

Maybe if they didn't make millions per year they would be more inclined to finish their educations and be prepared a career change once their athletic ability can no longer be physically sustained.

Most do finish their careers. And most athletes dont make the millions, its only the elite.

FWIW, I think teachers salaries should be over $100,000 a year too. It's a tough job and should be compensated as such.

Since teachers are paid with public money collected from taxpayers, are you willing to raise your property taxes to cover this?

 

[EclecticWAHM]

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!

It can be disconcerting looking at the disparity in pay. But think about this - are you willing to pay more in taxes for police and firefighters to make more? Are you willing to pay more for your health care? The fact is that athletes and high-level performers bring in more money so of course they are paid more. Is it fair? Who knows...but they only make that kind of money because the general public keeps shelling out the dollars for those things.

 

[Minnie_me]

Tax dollars aren't paying for professional athletes.

While I do see your point, I must say that in reading through those teacher salary threads, the tax dollar issue rarely came up. People bash teachers for their "short hours", "summers off", "easy job", etc. Athletes certainly have shorter hours, longer time off, and some of them don't even get off the bench and still make those big bucks!!

 

[joviroxx]

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.

Is this for real?

 

[Donaldswife]

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.

NO! The government already intrudes on my life enough as it is!

 

[luvmy3]

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.

 

[chewbacca]

It can be disconcerting looking at the disparity in pay. But think about this - are you willing to pay more in taxes for police and firefighters to make more? Are you willing to pay more for your health care? The fact is that athletes and high-level performers bring in more money so of course they are paid more. Is it fair? Who knows...but they only make that kind of money because the general public keeps shelling out the dollars for those things.

That is why I can complain about...I refuse to pay the high ticket prices to watch them!

 

[shirleyb]

Part of what determines the salary is how many people can do that job.

How many of us can do what Troy Polamalu does? Don't all raise your hands at once.

How many of us have the skills to be a janitor?

How many of us have the skills to flip burgers?

How many of us have the skills to be a bank teller?

How many of us have the skills to be a teacher?

How many of us have the skills to be an engineer?

How many of us have the skills to be a doctor?

To a large extent, some professions make more because of the limited pool of people that can do that job. Once again, supply and demand.

It seems like more people should have taken economics in school.

 

[Guy Incognito]

schools should start getting corporate sponsors to bring in extra funds....


"Snap, Crackle and Pop middle school"

"The Toucan Sam Library"

"8th grade algebra, brought to you by Reebok.... also sponsored by Lipton iced tea"


and of course, we'd have to set up grandstands in every classroom, so fans could pay for a ticket, pile in the stands and cheer/boo/heckle the teachers as they tried to do their jobs.

 

[EclecticWAHM]

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.

Ugh. No thanks. The government doesn't need to be involved. Who's to decide what is more "worthy?" What a horrifying thought.

 

[Donaldswife]

And where should the extra money , collected by a private business go if not to the athletes who put their bodies and livelihoods on the line?

That money should go back to taxpayer and cities who spend billions on stadiums & tax breaks.

Most do finish their careers. And most athletes dont make the millions, its only the elite.

They may finish their careers, but most of us have the option to keep our careers past forty, where most pro Basketball and Football players who make the millions (ans these were the ones I was referencing, not the players making league minimum) are done by that age.
Since teachers are paid with public money collected from taxpayers, are you willing to raise your property taxes to cover this?

Answers above are in red, as to the last question:

Yes, I would be willing to pay higher property taxes for better teacher pay. I know if my school district were paying better salaries it would attract more teachers. The only catch to that would be I would expect the best teachers, and expect the district to make tough decisions and let people go who were not doing an outstanding job (ie, coasting) as some people in every profession tend to do-not just teachers.

 

[Melmac]

I agree that professional athletes make ridiculous amounts of money but think about how much the owners of the teams make. Professional sports is big business and I feel that the athletes that draw the crowds, the advertising, the TV contracts, the merchandise should get their fair cut of it.

Since the athletes are not being paid for by tax dollars, I don't care how much they make. I like watching pro football, hockey and baseball and support them by going to games and paying their prices for tickets and concessions.

I am not a teacher but I am a public employee.

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.

I do not agree with this at all. Government belongs in some aspects of life but not all. And how does one decide which "worthy person/occupation" gets the extra money? I believe that would be a logistical nightmare.

 

[LuvOrlando]

When sports fans either run out of money or we, as a society, stop worshiping everyone on TV the salaries will drop.

Truth is these guys have very short careers, many of them anyway so the money probably doesn't last in a majority of cases. I think it would be good to do a where are they now type show.

For the record, as someone who studied Economics income redistribution is a terrible idea. Once you take the profit incentive away why on earth would the top earners continue to be 'the best'? Assuming top earners are relatively intelligent they decide why bother and they stop trying until there isn't anything left to redistribute and all you have a bunch of ner'do'wells with hands out. It never works because human nature is what it is. If I'm going to get as much for being a slacker as working 60 hour weeks what sort of person would say, yep sign me up for an early heart attack.