How much should professional athletes make?

[DrCavin]

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!!

You may want to look at how much time a professional athlete spends practicing & training in the off season. They don't just show up & play at that level. Very few people have the talent to be a professional athlete.

 

[joviroxx]

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.

I can agree with you there!

 

[bdcp]

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.

You have got to be kidding me. That's called socialism and all that accomplishes is we have a bunch of people working for the government with no dreams or aspirations to do better. I can only hope you are being sarcastic.

People are paid what the market will bear and all I can say is, I have nothing else to say about this post because I don't want to break any rules. The fans really control how much atheletes are paid. If they refused to go to the events and buy the logo clothing, etc. that would affect pay. So, before everyone blames atheletes, how about looking in the mirror if you've ever paid $100+ to attend a sporting event.

 

[DaParkers]

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

Why? The cities that help pay for these stadiums choose to do so. The taxpayers are not made to pay for it, it is voted on. Let's not forget the economic impact that a lot of these teams have on their city. Most help bring in a large amount of money. I know the Saints are a huge boost to our economy.

 

[Donaldswife]

You may want to look at how much time a professional athlete spends practicing & training in the off season. They don't just show up & play at that level. Very few people have the talent to be a professional athlete.

You may also want to look at the time *good* teachers spend in the summer getting their masters (at their own expense), going to workshops and certification classes, and preparing lessons/classrooms/etc. for the school year.

Also, in my school district teachers do not get ANY money for classroom supplies. They spend their own. My SIL and one of my good friends are teachers, they spend several hundred dollars a semester getting supplies for the classroom. Professional athletes are given state of the art facilities to work out in, trainers to help in the off season, heck, even free shoes and equipment if they have endorsement deals.

I agree very few people have the talent to be professional athletes. I also think very few people have the talent and dedication to be professional educators. I believe we would attract them to the profession if the salary was more in line with what they do. I'm sure there are many consultants, salespeople, corporate trainers, etc. who would make fantastic teachers but cannot afford to take a cut in pay to do so. If the salaries were better we might be able to attract to attract "the better players," so to speak.

 

[Donaldswife]

Why? The cities that help pay for these stadiums choose to do so. The taxpayers are not made to pay for it, it is voted on. Let's not forget the economic impact that a lot of these teams have on their city. Most help bring in a large amount of money. I know the Saints are a huge boost to our economy.

Because the amount cities spend is not proportionate to what they would spend on other private enterprises that bring economic impact to the cities. The owners don't have to spend money on stadiums, facilities, etc. the taxpayers do and the owners get richer, the players get richer at the taxpayers expense. We don't have other corporate entities getting factories built for them by the cities (although they do get a fair amount of tax breaks) so why should government pay for this private enterprise? Let the owners bear the burden of paying for their palaces.

 

[goofy4prez]

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.

As others have said on here, I truly hope you don't believe what you typed off your keyboard and onto this forum. Who decides who is a more worthy person. Sorry, but I spent 6 years in college and took 10 years to pay off my student loans. After several years in the workforce I took MY life savings and started my own business. I worked 16 hour days for 5 straight years and no income for 2 years while paying my employees. I am far from selfish, but I deserve every penny I earn and will be dog gone If I am willing to give one cent to the government so it can go to someone else. Think about what you just stated.



As for professional athletes; I don't think any of these athletes, celebrities, movie stars, and musicians are worth what they make. However, with that said, I have no problem with them earning as much as the market will bear. That is the way it is with all of our jobs. If owners are making money and fans are willing to pay $500 for a seat and PSL's (fee just for the right to buy a season ticket) then I say go for it. They are doing nothing any of us wouldn't do.

As for me, I speak with my wallet. I was a season ticket holder with the Browns for many years. When the new Browns implemented PSL's in addition to season ticket prices, I said forget it. Now that going to the movies cost over $50 for a family of four, I say forget it. When a weekend at a Nascar race cost as much as a week at WDW, I say forget it. But I guess enough are willing because they are still paying these salaries.

 

[luvmy3]

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.

You may also want to look at the time *good* teachers spend in the summer getting their masters (at their own expense), going to workshops and certification classes, and preparing lessons/classrooms/etc. for the school year.

Also, in my school district teachers do not get ANY money for classroom supplies. They spend their own. My SIL and one of my good friends are teachers, they spend several hundred dollars a semester getting supplies for the classroom. Professional athletes are given state of the art facilities to work out in, trainers to help in the off season, heck, even free shoes and equipment if they have endorsement deals.

I agree very few people have the talent to be professional athletes. I also think very few people have the talent and dedication to be professional educators. I believe we would attract them to the profession if the salary was more in line with what they do. I'm sure there are many consultants, salespeople, corporate trainers, etc. who would make fantastic teachers but cannot afford to take a cut in pay to do so. If the salaries were better we might be able to attract to attract "the better players," so to speak.

Then maybe the answer is to have education be run like/by a sports organization or a large corporation instead of the gov't.

 

[joviroxx]

Why? The cities that help pay for these stadiums choose to do so. The taxpayers are not made to pay for it, it is voted on. Let's not forget the economic impact that a lot of these teams have on their city. Most help bring in a large amount of money. I know the Saints are a huge boost to our economy.

Living in S Florida, I can tell you the Super Bowl is a MAJOR boost to our economy.

 

[focusondisney]

Tax dollars aren't paying for professional athletes.

Tax dollars don't pay the salaries, but all the stadiums & arenas I can think of are built & paid for by taxpayers. Here in Western New York, it costs the taxpayers almost a million dollars per game for the Bills stadium. This is just day to day costs, major upgrades not included.

I agree that the free enterprise supply & demand is what lets them make so much. I would have no problem with the fortunes the owners & players make if they would just build & maintain their venues, too. At least movie & TV stars & production companies don't get so much public funding for their ventures.

Full disclosure: Even tho I don't like the taxpayers paying for the venues, I am a huge hockey fan & spend lots of money on tickets & jerseys!!

 

[Donaldswife]

Then maybe the answer is to have education be run like/by a sports organization or a large corporation instead of the gov't.

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.

I know there is no easy solution, which is why the government has struggled so long with this. There are a lot of different views as to what education should entail, and it is run by people who are trying to win popularity and cannot afford to offend anyone. Not necessarily the best recipe to create the type of educational system that we would all like to have. I do think we have pretty good educational system, but I think it could be a whole lot better.

 

[wvjules]

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.

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.

^This

 

[Donaldswife]

Tax dollars don't pay the salaries, but all the stadiums & arenas I can think of are built & paid for by taxpayers. Here in Western New York, it costs the taxpayers almost a million dollars per game for the Bills stadium. This is just day to day costs, major upgrades not included.

I agree that the free enterprise supply & demand is what lets them make so much. I would have no problem with the fortunes the owners & players make if they would just build & maintain their venues, too. At least movie & TV stars & production companies don't get so much public funding for their ventures. Full disclosure: Even tho I don't like the taxpayers paying for the venues, I am a huge hockey fan & spend lots of money on tickets & jerseys!!

That is exactly how I feel as well.

 

[DaParkers]

Because the amount cities spend is not proportionate to what they would spend on other private enterprises that bring economic impact to the cities. The owners don't have to spend money on stadiums, facilities, etc. the taxpayers do and the owners get richer, the players get richer at the taxpayers expense. We don't have other corporate entities getting factories built for them by the cities (although they do get a fair amount of tax breaks) so why should government pay for this private enterprise? Let the owners bear the burden of paying for their palaces.

You're misinformed. Jerry Jones just spent between $800 million $1 billion of his OWN money to build the new Stadium that the Super Bowl was just played in. The taxpayers contributed $343 million. The Super Bowl is believed to have had a $250 million impact on their economy alone.

 

[focusondisney]

Why? The cities that help pay for these stadiums choose to do so. The taxpayers are not made to pay for it, it is voted on. Let's not forget the economic impact that a lot of these teams have on their city. Most help bring in a large amount of money. I know the Saints are a huge boost to our economy.

We don't vote on building stadiums or the hockey arena. Or the contracts that are made with the team owners. Those things are decided & voted on by our local officials. Yes, we vote for them, but if you don't like the decisions, it's not like you have instant recall for the representatives. You have to wait for the next election & by then, the deal is done.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Yeah prof. athletes put their bodies on the line everyday, but so do cops, firemen, men and women in the service, and even EMTs...I don't think that they get paid nearly enough for all that they do. Saving lives, keeping cities safe, running into burning building, etc. I think its a joke how much the prof. athlete makes.

....and I do love Peyton Manning LoL.

 

[Donaldswife]

You're misinformed. Jerry Jones just spent between $800 million $1 billion of his OWN money to build the new Stadium that the Super Bowl was just played in. The taxpayers contributed $343 million. The Super Bowl is believed to have had a $250 million impact on their economy alone.

That is not the case in every city though. Each city has different deals. And the taxpayers STILL lost money in that equation. They spent $343 million to have a $250 million impact. That $343 million doesn't even take into account the millions the city paid for additional services to host the Super Bowl, or to win a Super Bowl bid.

 

[sparks19]

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.

exactly this.

they make that amount because of the amount the leagues make on tickets, merchandise etc... all the things the above poster mentioned.

I think they should be allowed to make whatever the league is willing to pay them. I'm definitely not for capping anyone's salary (well other than you know... league instated salary caps like the NHL lol).

and not all athletes but MANY do a lot of good with their money. donating it to various causes (probably more causes than any of us would ever be able to support at one time) and really helping people out. Nothing wrong with that. If we started taking their salary because we don't like that they make so much more than the average joe then imagine all those causes that will get the shaft because the players aren't donating hundreds of thousdands of dollars to their cause

I will never begrudge someone for making a lot of money. They work hard and it's none of my business what the leagues want to pay their players.

their professions aren't without risk. of course the risk of a career ending injury is quite great and most of them can't keep playing their sport of choice past the age of 40 (sometimes lower than that). They get traded and have to move their families all over the place never really knowing if they are going to get a chance to get settled or not. then they travel all over the country and away from their families all the time.. .a lot of time missing the births of their children etc. It's not like they just show up at the stadium on game day and that's all the work they ever have to do. they put in a lot of hours and hard work and then outside of the sport they put in more hard work and hours with promotional things, charity work etc etc.

People always say "all they do is play a sport they love... I'd do that for free" but that's not ALL they do. They work hard and I won't take that away from them. The market determines how much they can make and I don't begrudge them that.

 

[Donaldswife]

exactly this.

they make that amount because of the amount the leagues make on tickets, merchandise etc... all the things the above poster mentioned.

I think they should be allowed to make whatever the league is willing to pay them. I'm definitely not for capping anyone's salary (well other than you know... league instated salary caps like the NHL lol).

and not all athletes but MANY do a lot of good with their money. donating it to various causes (probably more causes than any of us would ever be able to support at one time) and really helping people out. Nothing wrong with that. If we started taking their salary because we don't like that they make so much more than the average joe then imagine all those causes that will get the shaft because the players aren't donating hundreds of thousdands of dollars to their cause

I will never begrudge someone for making a lot of money. They work hard and it's none of my business what the leagues want to pay their players.
their professions aren't without risk. of course the risk of a career ending injury is quite great and most of them can't keep playing their sport of choice past the age of 40 (sometimes lower than that). They get traded and have to move their families all over the place never really knowing if they are going to get a chance to get settled or not. then they travel all over the country and away from their families all the time.. .a lot of time missing the births of their children etc. It's not like they just show up at the stadium on game day and that's all the work they ever have to do. they put in a lot of hours and hard work and then outside of the sport they put in more hard work and hours with promotional things, charity work etc etc.

People always say "all they do is play a sport they love... I'd do that for free" but that's not ALL they do. They work hard and I won't take that away from them. The market determines how much they can make and I don't begrudge them that.

It became my business when the owner of the team asked for billions of dollars for a new stadium at taxpayer expense for "his" business.

 

[sparks19]

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

WOW that is a REALLY scary thought isn't it? if we are complaining about how much people make how about we start with the politicians LOL. PA was broke... no room in the budget to help out schools and stuff... OH but all our employees get a 26% raise. LMAO what other job is out there where there is NO money already but you get a raise. luckily the people of PA were OUTRAGED and fought that tooth and nail until they finally repealed it

If the money is there I am all for anyone making whatever the market allows. but when the money ISN'T there... you can't give everyone a raise LOL.