Does anyone else think that pro atheletes are paid way too much?
399618
YES!  DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE HOW A TEACHER ONLY GETS PAID $30,000 A YEAR. AN ATHELETE WHO CAN'T HARDLY SPELL BUT CAN MAKE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS!
557669
Mate I honestly don't know the average salary of a US player is perhaps 90,000 US$ or less but in europe club level pros are paid 180,000 US$ wages per week.
934969
I think the other two answers say it all.  Not only are athletes over paid, but the entertainment industry is too.  Bruce Willis made something like 100M for the Sixth Sense, and Mel Gibson supposedly 400-500M for the Passion of the Christ.  Those are ridiculous figures.  It is a checks and balances scenario.  They say why should the network or film company make all the profits when we are putting a**es in the seats.  \n\nI think the ridiculous salaries of CEO's and other top level jobs are way out of hand too.  There was an article where the Sultan of Brunai had a home built for something like 100M, didn't like it, and had them tear it down and rebuild it.  BS!!  He has a home in LA that he had built for around 30-40M, and he has yet to step foot in it.  And you ask why we question it?  If it wasn't thrown into the our faces day in day out, maybe we would not question it.  We don't need to hear about their unbelievable acts of selfishness when we have men and women dying every day to protect our freedoms, and their families get close to nothing for their heroic efforts.
511943
For playing or watching? You can't just pay to play with the pros if your asking that.  If you mean how much to watch if depends where, major or not, whose playing.  If you have all of those things it will be alot more than if it is a none major and no big names are playing.
330460
Some people may argue that all professional athletes are paid too much.  However, based on what the other major sports' players are making, the short answer is 'no, not really.'\n\nDepending on how you base judgment of salaries, hockey players are quite reasonable.  They endure the most physical abuse of any athlete (perhaps comparable to football players - 82 games compared to 16...sometimes four times a week), and their skill is magnificent.\n\nHowever, the sport draws the least amount of money of all four major American sports, and the cause of the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season was escalating player salaries - the owners simply could not keep up with the raises and market values of some of the greatest skill men in the game.  \n\nSo, in terms of skill - no.  But in terms of their market - yes.  Teams had to shut down for a year to make up for finishing year after year in the red, and as a result, the players had to accept a 24% salary rollback and a salary cap was installed.
347739
yes they are making too much money.  and the proof of this is that the average family can hardly afford to be a fan anymore because ticket prices are priced really high so they owners can pay the players.
84932
Yes, I think you should be upset!\nIf someone is getting back more than they pay in... WE have to pay more than we should. \nThat certainly pi$$es me off!!! I'm not responsible for their 9 kids, or their low paying job, so why do I have to pay more??\nIt's just like illegal alliens collecting welfare....NOT RIGHT!
1051771
I think it's absolute nonsense. They should be paid a normal wage like everyone else. Isn't it good enough that they get to do what they love for a living?
843939
Each of those fields require a lot of education and training to get to the point where you can make ridiculous money. So maybe they are worth the pay in that sense. But teachers require just as much education to become qualified, plus their job is ostensibly more "important" than any you mentioned. Yet teachers get paid terribly in comparison. Doctors get paid a lot because we demand perfection from them (rightly so) and sue them if they slip up. We don't sue our waiter if he messes up our order. Lawyers are overpaid because we demand perfection (perhaps wrongly) from too many other parts of society. If people stop suing companies for getting burned by hot coffee, kids choking on small parts, etc, then the financial incentives for trial lawyers will diminish. As for engineers, programmers, scientists... supply and demand I suppose dictates their salaries, so it's hard to say what constitutes "too much" for them. Just my opinions!
911365
Yes!\n\nThey get paid millions just to kick a ball around a field. I think the people who really deserve  to get paid loads don't. People like paramedics, the police, nurses, firefighters, soldiers, engineers etc should be the ones who earn loads because they are making a real difference in this world.\nThe word "hero" is over used. I remember a football figurine advert wih the caption "A hero in your hand". That's not a true hero. A hero puts his/her life on the line for others, with no regard for their own safety. These true heroes should be paid much more for what they do.\n\nThe people who actually improve the world should go down in history and be revered for all time, not sportsmen.
794047
Some people just really like balls, so they are nactually not watching the people at all. It sure makes no sense for us to work our balls off trying to make a living then go pay a ton to watch a bunch of people do exactly what you are asking about and get paid more for in one year of playing than we may make in a lifetime.\n\nOnce we are all hooked on Yahoo Answers, they will charge as well.
703591
i could not agree more trigga1uk-if you own a vehicle then it is your responsibility to ensure all documentation is correct-and this is the view the magistrate should take. yes £20.000 a week is a ridiculous amount of money to be paid for booting a ball about but this should not make them immune to the law. bearing in mind that some players are paid in excess of £100.000 a week god only knows what they could do and then blame their agents!!!.
165551
i totally agree with you,i think teachers and the military dont get the pay they deserve, theres a reason those athletes can play their sports for a living in our free country and im pretty sure that goes back to thanking the military for risking their lives, and the teachers who taught that athlete how to write their signature.
572496
They do make a lot of money, but it does sound boring to sit in front of a desk all day adding up stuff. But I guess it depends on who you are...some people might not find it boring.
122694
No.  How else can the officials keep the game moving?  I mean, players would argue every single call.  Also, the officials should be respected -- they are the police of the sport.  Besides, what is $1,000 to a guy who earns millions?  To us it would hurt, to them -- "Who cares?"
358791
In most they are 500 dollars just to start out.... Then you do shows for 10 dollars a match...if your lucky....and even if you are lucky to make it to the big time you give your trainer anywhere between 10 to 35 percent once again if you lucky.....pro wrestling is one of the hardests things to get yourself envolved with....I had a good conversation with Vince WWE chairmen when he came to visit us in afghanistan....syco simps
629484
i agree with you, smoke and star29. those players are getting payed millions, but they should be able to say whats on their minds without getting fined for it. its only their opinion and even though i dont think they should get paid as much as they do, i still think they should be able to voice their opinions without getting in trouble for it. i know the nba has rules and stuff about this, but they should be able to voice their opinion shouldn't they?