No, not when you consider the revenue they bring in to the owners of the team and the stadiums.

In my opinion, damn right they are. Certainly the high profile ones anyway. Take a Permiership football team for example. Some of them are getting paid £80,000 every week. Often when they just sit there on the bench as a sub and don't even kick the ball. OK, yes they work physically hard (sometimes) and have to train everyday but they are getting paid to play games, which they enjoy. That wouldn't be so bad, but people are paying £500 for a season ticket and often get lack of appreciation from the players, and a lack of respect. Many of them don't even acknowledge the fans or refuse to sign autographs for little kids.

I thought u were gonna talk about other sports instead of futbol

You don't have to contribute to society to make money. Although i suppose some athletes have inspirational stories that make some people strive to be the best at what they do. All sports have been ruined by today's commercial advertising, the pure joyous fun of football for example, has been ruined by the constant commercials in between each play. Even banner advertisments are seen on the sides of the field of the players run toward the end zone. I suppose without the money made though, people wouldn't be able to see such sports on tv. Sorry i went off on a tangent.

perhaps to show the rest of us that even if we were world recognized icons, had a billion dollars, and could do and buy anything we wanted to, we would still end up screwing it all up in the end. They at the same time influence billions of consumers to make choices based upon self identity within a specific product. Nike sold more shoe through Jordan, after Jordan, than before Jordan. And everyone wanted to be like Mike. Everyone watched Mike. Mike knew when to hold em, and when to fold em, unlike, say, OJ Simpson, or Dennis Rodamn, Magic Johnson. How many young african males were attracted to the US military after looking up to David "Admiral" Robinson. How many white boys were inspired by a blinding white Larry Bird's ability from the 3-point line. Now, how many World Champions like William "the Friderator" Perry, 1985 Chicago Bears, ended up working construction due to running out of money, just like the typical lotto winner. They also get paid so highly to compensate for the times of their lives sacrificed to being owned by a team, contracts are binding in some cases. Some athletes are modern day self sold slaves to the sport.

I don't like sports and I've always thought it was rediculous, but then I thought about it. They increase the GDP with billions in profit for the people who own stadiums and for advertisers They inspire the youth to stay fit and try hard They give most men (besides me) a way to bond with one another and forget about the hard things in life.

Probably, but they get what people are willing to pay them.

They do, in a way. Especially big sports events, they encourage people to come to the country and spend money to watch the sport, which, in some respects helps the comminity

Very few people "contribute to society" in an obvious way other than by paying tax (which athletes do) and by being kind and thoughtful to those close to them and to good causes when they can (which many athletes do). Other than doctors, firefighters and charity workers, there are few professions that "Contribute" to society any more than athletes. (Who do after all, encourage the nation to keep fit, give inspiration that even the seemingly impossible is achievable, promote national pride and pride in personal achievement and often raise money for charity too) Whoever it is that owns New Look or Bloomingdales isn't contributing much more to society, whoever it is that organises fancy holidays for us in Hawaii and Barbados, Van Gogh painting The Sunflowers, the films of Orson Welles, the works of Shakespeare ... what do these contribute to society? Not everyone can be in a purely "useful" job, and without the "useless" the artists, the atheletes, the entertainers - what would be the point in living? Just pure automatons to be kept ticking over? So maybe they are over-paid - but to say they don't contribute to society is a gross exageration. It's also worth remembering, that a binman might be more "useful" than a footballer- but who would you prefer to pay to watch on a Sunday afternoon?

Hell yes they are.

Pff.. WAY too much! they don't have any knowledge skills soo.. what the heck is the point of a 2.5 million dollar contract?

Yes and I have boycotted sports by not going to the events,or pay TV. I don't want my hard earned money to go into pockets that don't deserve it.

Well let me see, they play a game for a living, Get all of their "off season" for vacation, And make millions while people in the armed services risk their lives for their fellow countrymen and sometimes have to collect welfare to support their families, Teachers are the best hopes for our future and don't make anywhere near as much, Firefighters and Law enforcement officials put their live on the line regularly for crack-heads and indigents, and don't make nearly enough for their service. ...So I guess my answer is HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

because they deserve it and they have worked hard all their lives to become a professionl athlete!

So are these athletes overpaid. Absolutely not. How the heck can I say that? I don't think anybody in our society can really ever be overpaid. We live in a society where you are free to accept a job and someone is free to hire or not hire you (more or less but I won't get into the details here). This is especially true in sports where the ONLY thing that matters is how you perform and do your job. Obviously the owner of each of these clubs believes that each of these athletes is worth the money. Nobody put a gun to any of their heads and forced them to give the money to the players. Just to put into perspective you need to see what each of these teams are work and make.Now if the players don't get the money who will? The owners. A lot less people whine that they are making too much money. Some people complain that instead of making all this money that they should reduce ticket prices. Well if you ran a business and you could sell a product for $10 or $20 what would you do? I think most of you would probably charge what the market would bear. What I don't understand is that many of the same people who complain that athletes make too much money are those clamoring to get more money for either themselves or working class America. If average joe american has the right to make as much money as possible how come the same can't be said for athletes? I realize that $25,000 is quite different than $25,000,000 but the principle is the same. Everyone should be paid what they are worth. Sports just happens to be very big business in America and it makes lots of money. How can you begrudge a man his money which he rightfully deserves. I mean a star athlete, more than any other employee, has a direct impact on the revenue of his company. He plays well, fans come to see games, fans buy more merchandise, etc. It isn't about someone's "value" to society. It's about having a free economy. If nobody would watch these athletes play, they wouldn't get paid. But self-admitted sports fans like yourself pay to watch these guys play, and you pay big bucks. And there is a big difference between value and money. Water is the most valuable things to humans but is relatively free to have. Diamonds and gold have very little intrinsic value to a person yet cost hundreds of dollars for even the smallest amount. No one would argue that water is more "valuable" than gold but if you want to, I'll trade you 100 gallons of water for a 1 karat diamond and we can call it even. Afterall, there is no way that a diamond should be worth thousands just to be sparkly. How can people complain about athletes being overpaid when most of them give back to the community and the fans, where some movie stars get $20 million for one film and they don't have to give up a dime. I hate it when people rip on athletes you know a lot of them came from nothing and had to work their way to the top. Movie stars usually grow up in rich families that have mom and dad buy them everything, its all given to them all they gotta do is look pretty.

uh, yep. it is a shameful thing.

They get enough too pay "too mush".

I am sick and tired of all their steriod legal cases. If they didn't pay them so much and treat their everyday asses like they were some type of "gods", then they wouldn't have to resort to all these scummy tactics like drugs.

Let's see, I taught for 10 years have a couple of masters to boot and I earned $35,000 a year (with 2 coaching stipends). One of my old students who pretty much slept through class and failed 5 out of 6 6 week terms, but was still promoted to the 9th grade b/c the HS coach wanted him is now earning 10 million a year playing prof football. I ran into him recently. He is just as ignornat as he was then, only now, he has a lot of bling and a "I am so better than you" attitude even toowards his mother. Shame shame shame. So, yes, I think prof athletes are paid way too much. Maybe if they were not paid as much they would keep the drugs out of their system.

Perhaps those at the top of their particular sports are paid considerably more than they are worth, but they aren't paid more than top entertainers. The length of their careers is relatively short and, most importantly, they are only the tip of the iceberg - those below the top level only earn the same sort of salary as an average person.

No. Just like actors aren't paid too much either. They are paid based on what they are worth to their employers. They wouldn't be paid that much if they weren't worth that much. And, you're talking about a very elite class. Compared to how many people try, very few make it to their level.

Like I said in another review: So are these athletes overpaid. Absolutely not. How the heck can I say that? I don't think anybody in our society can really ever be overpaid. We live in a society where you are free to accept a job and someone is free to hire or not hire you (more or less but I won't get into the details here). This is especially true in sports where the ONLY thing that matters is how you perform and do your job. Obviously the owner of each of these clubs believes that each of these athletes is worth the money. Nobody put a gun to any of their heads and forced them to give the money to the players. Just to put into perspective you need to see what each of these teams are work and make.Now if the players don't get the money who will? The owners. A lot less people whine that they are making too much money. Some people complain that instead of making all this money that they should reduce ticket prices. Well if you ran a business and you could sell a product for $10 or $20 what would you do? I think most of you would probably charge what the market would bear. What I don't understand is that many of the same people who complain that athletes make too much money are those clamoring to get more money for either themselves or working class America. If average joe american has the right to make as much money as possible how come the same can't be said for athletes? I realize that $25,000 is quite different than $25,000,000 but the principle is the same. Everyone should be paid what they are worth. Sports just happens to be very big business in America and it makes lots of money. How can you begrudge a man his money which he rightfully deserves. I mean a star athlete, more than any other employee, has a direct impact on the revenue of his company. He plays well, fans come to see games, fans buy more merchandise, etc. It isn't about someone's "value" to society. It's about having a free economy. If nobody would watch these athletes play, they wouldn't get paid. But self-admitted sports fans like yourself pay to watch these guys play, and you pay big bucks. And there is a big difference between value and money. Water is the most valuable things to humans but is relatively free to have. Diamonds and gold have very little intrinsic value to a person yet cost hundreds of dollars for even the smallest amount. No one would argue that water is more "valuable" than gold but if you want to, I'll trade you 100 gallons of water for a 1 karat diamond and we can call it even. Afterall, there is no way that a diamond should be worth thousands just to be sparkly. How can people complain about athletes being overpaid when most of them give back to the community and the fans, where some movie stars get $20 million for one film and they don't have to give up a dime. I hate it when people rip on athletes you know a lot of them came from nothing and had to work their way to the top. Movie stars usually grow up in rich families that have mom and dad buy them everything, its all given to them all they gotta do is look pretty.

As long as owners are willing to shell out the money and people are willing to pay the price to sit in the seat, then no. It is called the free market, supply and demand determine salary for these guys. Who knows what the future holds for major sports salaries with the economy like it is, but I think it will either level out or drop for a good while.

Yes indeed.

YEP! I think, for what they do - they are. If you look at farmers, etc. who actually bring us our food, they should be pain much more than we do pay them. All of the entertainment industries are paid far too much.

Based on the principal of supply and demand nope they are paid perfectly. To me there's no such thing in Americas world unless you underperfom. If you generate trillions like the Atheltes do Im sure you deserve what 5-10% of the trillions maybe more which turns into millions. Most people dont realize how big a business sports is if they didn't get the money the owners would. So no I rather have the athletes rack up the big bucks after working HARD then owners who just sit back and do nothing.

Not at all, if someone is willing to pay it go for it...would you turn it down? HECK NO!

No they are not the goal of Captialism is too have an oppurtinity to make as much money as you can PRODUCE! Sports produces untold amount of money and in most sports players dont even get the bulk of the revenues even though they do the bulk of the work

When you consider they produce nothing and are a waste of space yes they are over paid. There is something wrong with the world. Think about this Nike gave Michael Jordan more money than they paid everyone of their workers in China. Do you think that is the right thing to do?

No. If they weren't worth it they wouldn't be pros. If the tickets go too high people wouldn't pay for them, but as long as they do the athletes and management deserve the pay. They could lose their marketability in a heartbeat with a single injury. They have to make what they get last even if their bodies don't!

Supply and demand. In other words: no. I mean: PHILOSOPHICALLY they are paid too much. Doctors and teachers and firemen and policemen and military and other major contributors to society should be the ones making that kind of salary. But in our capitalist society they should make whatever people are willing to pay for them...and so should you and I. They can afford agents to "sell" their skills and raise their salary. It's a shame most of the rest of us can't.

yes its ridiculous how much they are paid