Are athletes overpaid?
By rovian
@rovian (1924)
United States
March 2, 2009 10:17am CST
I understand it takes hard work for an athlete to become skilled at their sport, but what they're doing is only playing a game. Teachers are paid little, but don't they deserve to be paid more? Shouldn't more value be placed on education rather than paying games? I think athletes are over paid. Some of the money in sports should be removed and placed into education. If teachers were being paid more, do you think they would teach better or have more interest in teaching? Of course, pay the good ones and replace the bad ones.
What do you think? Are athletes overpaid, and teachers underpaid?
3 responses
@ionsquare (530)
• Singapore
3 Mar 09
Hi, I think why most athletes are highly paid is because they are to make TV appearance and other public appearances. They are compensated due to the effort they put in a lot of time in practicing their sports and the privacy they lack of just like most famous stars. The actions they take will be under the scrutiny of public and they sometimes have to take more responsibilities in their own actions as it will badly influence everyone.
Speaking about teachers, they will also place influence on others but only a smaller numbers of people. I think pay is a motivational factor and teachers will teach better if they were given higher monetary rewards. I do have to admit that teachers have also put in a lot of effort to let students understand what they are teaching. Sometimes the number of hours we put in a career never determines the rewards that we will receive. That happens in many careers in my opinion.
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
2 Mar 09
Yes I agree. I believe most athletes are over paid. Especially baseball players because MLB has no salary cap! Teams in the big markets like the Yankees can over pay their players,big time! Some players are just plain selfish and get all that money then squander it all away! There are good players who do good with money and I wish there alot more athletes would do that! Teachers aren't paid enough and alot never get credit for being teachers! That are 2 reasons some teachers don't stay in the profession! I would like money from sports placed into education! It would be hard to do! Why because of the head of some of the player association reps are real jerks! I think the only that would happen if congress would get involved and then the president! That is the only way!
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
2 Mar 09
I think that the answer to both of your questions is yes. But the reason athletes are paid so much is because their fans but tickets and merchandise, while teacher are government employees (in most cases).
I look at it this way: sports fans are donating to their favorite teams.
Education fans generally just pay their taxes and help out a little.
But if you donated the same amount of money to your child's classroom or school that you spend on sports then it would even out.
Teachers would still not get paid as much but atleast they would not have to buy supplies for classroom use. I know that where I live (Texas USA) if you keep your recipt then donations to a classroom are tax deductable whereas tickets to the local baseball game are not.
something to think about
