High salaries in sports

[Joel]

In ancient Rome a wise Senator was heard to lament that it was a sure sign of the decline and fall when athletes were valued more highly than physicians, and the eating of food regarded as entertainment.

Nay, it's not a sign of the decline and fall, but rather a sign of prosperity. When salaries of sports stars rise, what does that mean? All it means is that the population has more money to "waste" on non vital things, and isn't that a good thing?


For a more detailed write up, here's an article.

http://www.thefreemanonline.org/featured/in-praise-of-athletes-high-salaries/#

 

[Keef]

I took his comment as sarcasm, stating that a government official viewed a prosperous free market as the downfall, when in fact the opposite is the reason the Roman empire is no longer with us.

 

[Joel]

I took his comment as sarcasm, stating that a government official viewed a prosperous free market as the downfall, when in fact the opposite is the reason the Roman empire is no longer with us.

I guess my sarcasm detector is broken

 

[Casio]

I think I understand his quote. I mean, physicians, probably particularly in the roman era, were seen to be advancing the human species through knowledge and discovery of the human body. Whereas athletes, back in the day, just stabbed each other with Tridents and drank blood.

I'm not sure of the figures (and I could be completely wrong), but it wouldn't surprise me at all if more was spent on sports stars salaries then, say, cancer research.

 

[PeterJB]

The reason a high-level athlete gets paid more than you is because they're better at it than you. If the market thought that these guys were getting paid too much the market wouldn't be sitting in the stands eating hotdogs, or rooting for their favorite driver on the television. Ever seen an F1 race?

I am a regular in the F1 Section.

If a driver gets paid 30m a year, how much of that does he really need? Plane tickets, regular fitness training, a posh house, several Supercars, fees for scoring points in races, and the occasional fine isn't even gonna be one million (minus the house and car) over the course of a year, they should give most of the left over stuff to charity like Ayrton Senna did.

The general population can't afford any of those things, it would take someone with 25k a year four years to earn as much as Alonso does in a single day, and with very little of that money to spare as most of it goes to food, petrol, bills, taxes and a mortgage. Most athlete's don't have the latter, and live in tax havens anyway that no one else can afford.

I understand that professional athletes have worked very hard to get wherever they are, and they continue to do so, but several million a year is a stupidly large salary. Why not give most of it to those who need it?

 

[ExigeEvan]

I understand that professional athletes have worked very hard to get wherever they are, and they continue to do so, but several million a year is a stupidly large salary. Why not give most of it to those who need it?

Because these guys are moments from death.

A guy pen-pushing in an office can earn £25k happily. But he's again not expected to be in a fit physical condition, he doesn't hit a peak before his 40s, get injured is almost part of his job and if he or a mechanic messes up he could die.

Do you guys think Oil Rig workers should earn so much? Sum earn £50K, and they barely work 6 months a year. But their job is dangerous, they don't get evenings off. But they're not educated or improving man kind so why should they get so much!?

I understand that there guys don't need that money, but neither does a doctor. Hell, in the UK a doctor is treated more like a public servant. I still have plenty of friends that are in Uni doing medicine and they pay won't be as much as these people could earn (banks, engineers, models, hookers) but they're doing what they'd love to do, and not because of the money or the hours.

 

[niky]

but several million a year is a stupidly large salary. Why not give most of it to those who need it?

You don't need a television set, a radio, a computer, a microwave oven, a car, a house or an apartment to live. Nor do you need any more than a few change of clothes of the same variety.

Why don't you live out of a YMCA dormitory and give the rest of your wages to charity?

Don't want to? Think I don't have a right to tell you what to do with your hard-earned wages? Well, that's right. I don't. How much you give to charity and how much you keep for yourself is your decision.

Some multi-millionaires do give mind-boggling sums of money to charity. Some don't. For those that do: applause. For those that don't. Meh. It's your money.

 

[Keef]

If a driver gets paid 30m a year, how much of that does he really need?

...

Why not give most of it to those who need it?

It doesn't matter what a person needs, it matters what a person is worth. The fact is that some people are simply worth more than others because they're better than others. The guy that owns Walmart doesn't need billions and billions of dollars, but he deserves what he earns because came up with Walmart. Not calling you out personally, but did you invent Walmart? No. You flip burgers. Therefore, that guy is more valuable than you, figuratively and literally. A person that flips burgers gets paid what they're worth - anybody can flip a burger. There's not many people out there who can run Walmart, just like there's not many people who can turn a record setting lap around a race track. Some people are better than other people, that's life. If you want to be rich then I suggest you get good at something. I guarantee that hamburger enthusiasts around the world would pay to watch a hamburger flipping competition, so if you're good enough at flipping burgers you may just get rich off it. Otherwise, here's 7 bucks an hour. Don't screw up these orders or I'll replace you with the retard from down the street.

The reason I asked if you're an F1 fan is to prove that you are part of the reason they get paid so much.

 

[Azuremen]

Why not give most of it to those who need it?

And who gives it to the people?

The government?

Sounds like communism. And a fairly large violation of right to property and so on.

People get paid what people allow them to be paid. If you force change, you are just forcing your will on some one else. And history shows how well that works out.

Basically, you are an idealist that isn't taking action, and yet being critical of a system you are a part of. I'd advise you to address your own priorities before you continue to suggest how the world should work. And perhaps spend some time in it as well.

 

[Casio]

What's your opinion on people like Paris Hilton who get paid a fortune to be a ****wit?

 

[Keef]

What's your opinion on people like Paris Hilton who get paid a fortune to be a ****wit?

She's better at me at being an idiot, and since it's easier to watch her screw up than to do it myself I'll shell out a buck or two to catch it on TV. Makes for good jokes. I don't expect her to share any of her money with me because she earned it by doing whatever she does to earn money, mostly being dumb and hilarious. Not an ideal way to make money, but hey money is money right?

 

[niky]

What's your opinion on people like Paris Hilton who get paid a fortune to be a ****wit?

Makes you think: Don't you wish you'd thought about it first?

To be fair: she doesn't get a huge salary from her reality TV show. She's rich simply because she's an heiress and an in-demand fashion model. The reality TV shenanigans are just a bonus source of income.

If it were really that easy to make money, the world would be full of billionaire reality-TV stars. But it isn't.

 

[Keef]

Makes you think: Don't you wish you'd thought about it first?

To be fair: she doesn't get a huge salary from her reality TV show. She's rich simply because she's an heiress and an in-demand fashion model. The reality TV shenanigans are just a bonus source of income.

If it were really that easy to make money, the world would be full of billionaire reality-TV stars. But it isn't.

Good points.

 

[Casio]

Time to make a blurry, night vision, sex tape I think.

Keef?

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Because these guys are moments from death.

A guy pen-pushing in an office can earn £25k happily. But he's again not expected to be in a fit physical condition, he doesn't hit a peak before his 40s, get injured is almost part of his job and if he or a mechanic messes up he could die.

The guy in the office could commit suicide from hating his job. That's probably more likely than an F1 driver getting killed.