Do professional athletes get overpaid?

By Emily Crouse
November 4, 2015

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Professional athletes have some of the highest salaries of professional fields. Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Being a professional athlete usually means they make hundred of thousands, even millions, of dollars every year for playing their sport. However, many wonder why so much money is being given to people who just play a sport when the people who are serving our country are left feeling underpaid. The side I take on this discussion is that servicemen are definitely underpaid, but that should have no comparison or relation to the income that professional athletes have.

One of the main and obvious reasons professional athletes get paid absurd amounts of money is because of the amount of time they spend in the spotlight. Professional athletes receive just as much fame and fans as movie stars or singers. Therefore, they have the opportunity to make money through endorsements, along with guest appearances, on top of making money from being an exceptionally good athlete.

Professional athletes make money from representing brand names because since they are such influential people and they are able to have an impact on the amount of items a certain brand sells. This makes me believe that they deserve the money they are getting paid. Representing a brand is still considered a job, so they are rightfully being paid when given money just for wearing and using that brand’s items.

I do not think it is a fair assumption to say that servicemen are underpaid compared to professional athletes.

Firefights are considered some of today’s everyday “heroes.” Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Servicemen are everyday people who choose to help work for the community. They take on very heroic jobs, but that doe not mean they can, will or deserve to make a ton of money. Serviceman such as our policemen, firefighters, troops, etc. have that occupation because that is what they felt passionate about doing. They had the ability to choose their occupation just as equally as a doctor did.

I do believe servicemen deserve to get paid a higher amount for serving our country and putting their lives on the line every day. However, I do not see how their income should be compared to a professional athlete’s. They are two completely different businesses and jobs that have no connection. Therefore I do not think it is right to compare them.

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Emily Crouse

Thrill chaser, communication queen, inspired futuristic, go getter. Majoring in Digital Communications and Social Media at Cabrini College. Member of the Cabrini Women's Lacrosse team and lover of life.

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