Are Professional Athletes Overpaid? | Teen Ink

Are Professional Athletes Overpaid?

May 7, 2010
By ColeH BRONZE, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
ColeH BRONZE, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Are professional athletes being paid too much? According to Charles Ray, athletes are making a lot more then they should be. Some players are making more then a brain surgeon would, yet the athletes don’t have to go through the pressure of saving lives. The money they’re getting paid could most definitely go to a different cause, instead of paying excessive amounts to hit a ball or shoot a basket.

So, why do athletes get paid like they do? According to Chris Butterfield, it’s somewhat part of the fans fault why they get paid like they do. Fans spend money on team merchandise like tickets, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and baseball caps. If the public didn’t have anything to do with what these athletes got paid, the athletes wouldn’t be making nearly as much as they are now. A lot of professional sports are a big hit in today’s society. This means if the sport is economically important, they will be getting paid more if it attracts all different kinds of people to go to an event and watch the game.

Money can also be a result of ruining any team sport. Players could think they’re not getting paid enough. According to Helium if one person is making millions that person is expected to play like a millionaire. When an athlete has a bad day, fans still know that they’re getting paid a good amount even if it wasn’t their “A” game. Associate Content states most players use up their money before they even earn it so it causes them to go bankrupt. A lot of players hire a manager to manage all of their income, this is because most players or athletes don’t appreciate how tough it is to make a real dollar.

Contracts for enormous amounts of money can also make an impact on how much the player should be making. People should not be playing on a team that pays a lot of money, but they should be doing it for the love of the game. Sports players think sports writers and public fans shouldn’t know how much they are getting paid each game, or how good they play. But why shouldn’t they? They’re the ones who give out the most money to help pay those athletes what they really shouldn’t be earning. I think athletes should be the ones thanking us.

From all the studies and information, it’s about the fans and how much merchandise they buy of that team or athlete. I think it is ridiculous how much they are getting paid, even if they are good at the sport. I personally think a brain surgeon should be making thousands more for saving a life other then an athlete just to hit a ball or score a basket. So, are professional athletes making too much or too little money?

The author's comments:
I just wanted to find out more about how much professional athletes are making.

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This article has 3 comments.


on Apr. 1 2015 at 8:18 pm
She's just saying they get paid too much. More than they should. If YOU think they are paid the right amount, be part of the army, Don`t even GET paid. . .

bqtmsmn9 said...
on Sep. 23 2014 at 11:46 am
if it's so easy how about u become a pro athlete. 

on Nov. 3 2010 at 9:13 pm
missTaco BRONZE, Kingston, Massachusetts
4 articles 0 photos 53 comments

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they are so overpaid and all they do is kick a ball or shoot a basket for $1M