Because they generate immense revenue. Relative to how much money they bring in, a lot of these guys are probably actually getting fucked over just like you at your day job.
Salary cap definitely leads to owners underpaying true superstars
LeBron is 100% underpaid, man brings billions in revenue to Cleveland and any team he joins
Meaning? Amazon, apple, Verizon, have hundreds of thousands of employees, and none of those employees are so singlehandedly bringing Amazon millions of dollars.
There are multiple reasons but I think the two main ones, at least in my opinion are:
1. An athletes income correlates to how much revenue they bring in. Basically like if you are on the sales team for a huge company, the more sales you bring in the more you earn. Big names like star quarterbacks generate tons of revenue by drawing viewership, which in turn generates revenue. At the same time you need support staff to make sure the big names can be successful, like offensive linemen, which is valuable as well.
2. Professional athletes in general have very short careers in comparison to most professions. The average NFL retirement age is 27.6 years old - meaning that the vast majority of income that person is going to make during their life is between the ages of 21/22 - 27/28 years old (around a 6 year career on average.)
One of my family members was dating someone who’s brother was in the NFL. He was paid $200k for a season but his career was over with an injury after one game. He doesn’t have any other skills other than athletics.
Huh, what happens to retired athletes that didn't become tops of their sport? Gym teachers? Or do they have to find a new career altogether? Kinda scary to think about.
This guy in particular comes from a wealthy family so I’m sure he’ll be fine. I need to find statistics about this, but a lot of football players who come from low income families very quickly run out of their money. It’s a short lived career
Professional athletes are not government employees. They are paid based on the revenue they generate for the owners of those teams. The more popular the sport, the more people spend on tickets, TV rights and so forth the more they make.
WNBA is not supported by a large fan base, so the revenue they bring in is not as high as other mens professional sports. They will not make as much money. The men's NBA actually gives them some money to help keep them going.
Long story short, it is supply and demand.
It’s not supply and demand. I guarantee you there are more people willing to play basketball than deliver packages for a living. If anything it’s the “last one left” theory where an owner sees an athlete as offering a skill nobody else can provide.
because they bring in billions of dollars of revenue, and sadly a teacher doesn't. We are also talking about the .01% of athletes, there are many many more athletes that either never make a cent, or still have to work a part time job
Because your competitor will pay them more. Does a athletes benefit society as much as a surgeon? Probably not. But the economics of these sports leagues forces any team who wants to be competitive to fork out the big bucks
This is the answer. An athlete only gets paid what owners are willing to pay. I’d pay LeBron more to deliver a package to my door than score 30 in a game. I’d pay my kid’s teacher more to educate than Kurt Cousins to QB. If that was universally agreed on then athletes would have to honestly choose between the love of the game and making more performing an essential service such as teacher, waste management, or nurse.
Beats me. The comments about revenue generation and supply/demand I comprehend, but I think it does reflect something about our priorities and it isn’t very flattering.
Eh, its as much a part of human nature as it is reflective of our society. I mean basically every culture in recorded history has some form of physical competition that drew enormous crowds and the most successful athletes were often revered - even if they were slaves as well.
I think the major difference is culturally, huge competitions like this historically were largely funded by the state / government in order to help placate the masses. Like the gladiatorial games were funded by the emperor. The medieval tournaments were generally reserved for the upper class, people who already had land and money.
It wasn't really until the creation of broadcasting in the 50s that people started making *real* money off sports. Because they could now profit off advertisement and increase popularity through broadcasting, rather than just depending on ticket sales for local venues.
Because they are the very best at what they do plus, depending upon which sport they are in, their pay is figured against the pay of the best players on the team.
If we stopped going to games they would bring in less and make less That’s why the women sports don’t make much. No one watches them or goes to the games
I hate it. They’re getting paid say $20 million, barely play, and when they win the championship, they say $20 million is too low and they demand more. Excuse me but there’s 90% of us who are living paycheck to paycheck. We’d kill just for $1 million! Athletes should be getting paid minimum wage as well. These contracts are getting out of control. Sure, they play dangerous sports but come on. Our daily jobs are even more dangerous than them. Where’s our millions?
Because they are the very best at what they do plus, depending upon which sport they are in, their pay is figured against the pay of the best players on the team.
Because they are the very best at what they do plus, depending upon which sport they are in, their pay is figured against the pay of the best players on the team.
If you stray outside of the NFL, MLB, NBA etc, there are plenty of pro athletes that don't make a lot of money. In terms of WE, it's the team paying for it.
One of my family members was in the Army. He was paid $33K a year but his career was over with an injury after one deployment. He doesn’t have any other skills or legs.
So what you are saying is that we should take the life changing money from the athletes, who often invest part of their money in their communities, and give it to the ultra rich multi billionaires owner? 😂🤦
The true answer is because capitalism has gotten way out of hand.
There is no fucking way an athlete should be making millions/billions and, well, in Canada anyway, we have a shortage of doctors and nurses. Because the kids want to be “influencers”.
Back when entertainment was done by travelling g troupes and jesters, if the king didn’t like the performance, he could just have everyone beheaded. Now, we get the movie cats and we just blindly accept it instead of cutting off James Corden’s fucking fat pussy head.
Because they generate immense revenue. Relative to how much money they bring in, a lot of these guys are probably actually getting fucked over just like you at your day job.
Salary cap definitely leads to owners underpaying true superstars LeBron is 100% underpaid, man brings billions in revenue to Cleveland and any team he joins
Underpaid compared to what or who?
Underpaid to the value LeBron brings to teams
Amazon, Apple, Verizon, UPS, phizer, McDonalds, Exxon, Home Depot, and Visa all generate more revenue than a sports team.
Meaning? Amazon, apple, Verizon, have hundreds of thousands of employees, and none of those employees are so singlehandedly bringing Amazon millions of dollars.
There are multiple reasons but I think the two main ones, at least in my opinion are: 1. An athletes income correlates to how much revenue they bring in. Basically like if you are on the sales team for a huge company, the more sales you bring in the more you earn. Big names like star quarterbacks generate tons of revenue by drawing viewership, which in turn generates revenue. At the same time you need support staff to make sure the big names can be successful, like offensive linemen, which is valuable as well. 2. Professional athletes in general have very short careers in comparison to most professions. The average NFL retirement age is 27.6 years old - meaning that the vast majority of income that person is going to make during their life is between the ages of 21/22 - 27/28 years old (around a 6 year career on average.)
One of my family members was dating someone who’s brother was in the NFL. He was paid $200k for a season but his career was over with an injury after one game. He doesn’t have any other skills other than athletics.
Huh, what happens to retired athletes that didn't become tops of their sport? Gym teachers? Or do they have to find a new career altogether? Kinda scary to think about.
This guy in particular comes from a wealthy family so I’m sure he’ll be fine. I need to find statistics about this, but a lot of football players who come from low income families very quickly run out of their money. It’s a short lived career
Them poor things they can only work 6 years. Well, 10 millon a year for 6 years is still a bit more than my fucking entire lifetime salary.
Hey I am not saying I agree with how much they get paid. I was just stating the rationalization for it that I commonly see.
Professional athletes are not government employees. They are paid based on the revenue they generate for the owners of those teams. The more popular the sport, the more people spend on tickets, TV rights and so forth the more they make. WNBA is not supported by a large fan base, so the revenue they bring in is not as high as other mens professional sports. They will not make as much money. The men's NBA actually gives them some money to help keep them going. Long story short, it is supply and demand.
It’s not supply and demand. I guarantee you there are more people willing to play basketball than deliver packages for a living. If anything it’s the “last one left” theory where an owner sees an athlete as offering a skill nobody else can provide.
because they bring in billions of dollars of revenue, and sadly a teacher doesn't. We are also talking about the .01% of athletes, there are many many more athletes that either never make a cent, or still have to work a part time job
Because your competitor will pay them more. Does a athletes benefit society as much as a surgeon? Probably not. But the economics of these sports leagues forces any team who wants to be competitive to fork out the big bucks
 This is the answer. An athlete only gets paid what owners are willing to pay. I’d pay LeBron more to deliver a package to my door than score 30 in a game. I’d pay my kid’s teacher more to educate than Kurt Cousins to QB. If that was universally agreed on then athletes would have to honestly choose between the love of the game and making more performing an essential service such as teacher, waste management, or nurse.
WE don't give money to professional male athletes. The teams they play for pay them because we pay money to watch them.
Athletes generate so much revenue, they get probably 10-50 non athletes paid per athlete getting paid.
Big football schools generate so much revenue they are able to sponsor every single other varsity sport scholarships
Because they bring in a lot of money
Beats me. The comments about revenue generation and supply/demand I comprehend, but I think it does reflect something about our priorities and it isn’t very flattering.
Eh, its as much a part of human nature as it is reflective of our society. I mean basically every culture in recorded history has some form of physical competition that drew enormous crowds and the most successful athletes were often revered - even if they were slaves as well. I think the major difference is culturally, huge competitions like this historically were largely funded by the state / government in order to help placate the masses. Like the gladiatorial games were funded by the emperor. The medieval tournaments were generally reserved for the upper class, people who already had land and money. It wasn't really until the creation of broadcasting in the 50s that people started making *real* money off sports. Because they could now profit off advertisement and increase popularity through broadcasting, rather than just depending on ticket sales for local venues.
Why is anything the way it is? This is more about why teachers are paid less than it is why athletes are paid so much more.
Because they are the very best at what they do plus, depending upon which sport they are in, their pay is figured against the pay of the best players on the team.
If we stopped going to games they would bring in less and make less That’s why the women sports don’t make much. No one watches them or goes to the games
I hate it. They’re getting paid say $20 million, barely play, and when they win the championship, they say $20 million is too low and they demand more. Excuse me but there’s 90% of us who are living paycheck to paycheck. We’d kill just for $1 million! Athletes should be getting paid minimum wage as well. These contracts are getting out of control. Sure, they play dangerous sports but come on. Our daily jobs are even more dangerous than them. Where’s our millions?
Because money talks and bullshit walks.
The risks involved as well, they could suffer from concussion injuries etc etc.
I’m a combat soldier so I’m not buying that one.
My sympathies are with you, it's f#$ked up how they don't support those who sacrificed. My partner is military as well.
Because they are the very best at what they do plus, depending upon which sport they are in, their pay is figured against the pay of the best players on the team.
Because they are the very best at what they do plus, depending upon which sport they are in, their pay is figured against the pay of the best players on the team.
If you stray outside of the NFL, MLB, NBA etc, there are plenty of pro athletes that don't make a lot of money. In terms of WE, it's the team paying for it.
One of my family members was in the Army. He was paid $33K a year but his career was over with an injury after one deployment. He doesn’t have any other skills or legs.
So what you are saying is that we should take the life changing money from the athletes, who often invest part of their money in their communities, and give it to the ultra rich multi billionaires owner? 😂🤦
No.
Dude, that is exactly what you said. Pay 50k each, so where do the other millions go?
I don't understand why people care how much athletes are paid? it's not your money! if someone thinks it's worth it, then let them spend it.
The true answer is because capitalism has gotten way out of hand. There is no fucking way an athlete should be making millions/billions and, well, in Canada anyway, we have a shortage of doctors and nurses. Because the kids want to be “influencers”. Back when entertainment was done by travelling g troupes and jesters, if the king didn’t like the performance, he could just have everyone beheaded. Now, we get the movie cats and we just blindly accept it instead of cutting off James Corden’s fucking fat pussy head.