Why Are Athletes Overpaid

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Are Athletes Overpaid?
Steve Young, Mack Strong, and Sterling Sharpe are just a sampling of a few that have sacrificed their health condition so we, the fan can watch them. Some people argue that these professional athletes are being overpaid due to their lack of importance to society. However, there are some crucial terms and consequences when one takes on a role of a professional athlete.

In our society, it is based on supply and demand. These athletes have a high entertainment value to us. The fans are simply supplying their demands for this type of entertainment. From the article, “...but remember who they are really playing for:us. We’re the ones who pack stadiums in the rain and snow to watch their games, who crowded around the …show more content…

The most popular sport for people to watch is football. Every time the player steps out onto the field, there is a high risk of injury. Most football players are structured to be large and muscular. This increases the chances receiving the most common injury, concussions, when they receiving blows to the body and head. This puts all possible players of a hit at high risk for injury and even death. Certainly, it's not the intention of one player to cause an injury to another. However, they are being paid for their skills to use in the game to defend their team and win the game. So when it comes to keeping a member of the opposing team away from the football, they are going offer their best ability to prevent the opposing player from getting that ball. Which means using the tactics of running into opposing players at maximum speed and tackling them as hard as possible. Nonetheless, when an athlete suffers from an injury, it is often detrimental to their career because it wears the body down and makes them more prone to a second injury. For example, one of the famously known athletes, Wesley Walker speaks how playing a professional sport has affected his life. On Newsday, he described how “...he suffered so much nerve damage and muscle loss as a result of playing football that today he can barely open a water bottle.” (Carro 25). Considering the fact that athletes are entering into a field that requires the deadly and career …show more content…

That doctors and nurses who save lives every day do not receive half of the athlete's salary. However, one must consider the factors that are put into this situation. There are thousands of nurses and doctors. If we paid them the same amount of money that athletes get paid, the economy would be unstable. We must also consider the fact that only a minor percentage of people become successful as professional athletes. Can one possibly perform the same way that Messi does in a soccer game? Another athlete is Lebron James, he makes “...slam dunks look as easy as hopscotch.” (Carro 25) We pay to watch these extraordinary people for a reason, they play in a way that no ordinary person can achieve. Their talent and hard work combined determine them how successful they

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