Athletes Deserve their Money

One of the most common debates in the sports world is whether athletes get paid too much. And one of the biggest anomalies in the sports world is how a multitude of athletes go broke after retirement. there are many people that claim athletes are severely overpaid and they should not gain millions of dollars for playing a simple game. On the other hand, people point to how probable it is for athletes to go broke and state that if they were paid even less, the results would be disastrous. By using the article “Two Sides to Every Coin: Are Professional Athletes Overpaid”, found on bleacherreport.com, one of the most widely viewed online sports newsfeeds, I will argue that professional athletes deserve the money they gain and it gives them the possibility of a secure financial future.

SOURCE: www.betsafe.com

 

    First , we have to ask, why do athletes have such a high salary. the simple answer is ourselves. By supporting the sports and putting money into the sport through watching games on tv, buying tickets to watch the games live, and buying team apparel we are essentially paying for the salary of the players. We love the sport and we support it, therefore we support the players. With an increase in popularity, professional athletes have seen an increase in salary. It is a very simple equation that most people overlook. If people want to get mad at athletes for getting paid a lot, they have every right to. But if people are season ticket holders, and then complain about overpayment, there seems to be a counterintuitive process going on. Ultimately, we decide what players salaries are, and if we want to support professional sports, we have to support the athletes.

    “The highest paid type of doctor averages about a $500,000 per year salary. A lawyer with 11+ years of experience makes up to $170,000 per year. the median household income is about $54,000 per year. The average Bears player will make about 2 million dollars in 2012.” This is a bit of a gap. How could a doctor, who saves the lives of citizens, only earn a fourth of what an average football player makes? This hardly seems justified. But besides from the fact that we don't pay for tickets to see doctors perform operations, the daily work of an athlete is more strenuous than most people think. Football can be a tough game. Concussions, ACL tears, the threat of being benched all loom over an athlete's head and can instantly end their career. Doctors don’t have to worry about these sorts of things. And if something like an ACL tear were to occur to a doctor, they will most likely have insurance that will assist them in paying for the repairs. “Insurance companies won’t cover professional athletes, so their medical bills are entirely self-paid.” Pair this with not only the injuries received during play, but also looming injuries and permanent damage beyond retirement and an athlete has themselves quite the extensive medical bill.

    The career length of an athletes is severely short as well. A normal citizen will work for 40+ years before retiring. An athlete is lucky to get 10 years in the league. With the short career, a higher pay seems like it is necessary. Athletes are retired for most of their lives, so they need the money to survive after playing. It is hard for athletes to find work after playing due to a lack of work experience and education so getting a job is not reliable enough. The huge salaries can help cushion an athlete into a successful retirement. Of course, athletes will, and most likely will, go broke. the problem is not in the salary, it is in the way their money is managed. If athletes went through an education program during their playing careers about how to manage their money effectively, this huge salary would not go missing after three years. With educations comes better choices.

    Athletes are paid a lot of money, but that does not mean that they are overpaid. They need the higher wages for a insurance cushion and to support themselves after retirement. the athletes are not the ones responsible for their high wages, it is the sports fans that supply the hefty incomes. And if athletes were to be taught how to manage this money, they would be less likely to go broke after retirement. Bottom line is, athletes fully deserve/need the money they earn, and if people still do not agree with this, then they should boycott all professional sports.