Pro Athletes Are Paid Too Much

Are athletes really worth the millions?

Why are we paying athletes millions to play games while teachers, and firefighters struggle to pay their own taxes? I think pro athletes are paid way too much. Don’t you think that 11,000 dollars per minute is a little TOO much?

I mean, one of the greatest of all times, “GOAT” LeBron James, makes more than 40 million dollars per season! This means he obtains a crazy 502,000 dollars each game which equals to around 136,000 dollars per quarter and 11,000 dollars a minute. I know I know, you’re going to say, “He is a legend! People love him!” But guess what? A doctor in Illinois saves LIVES, yet he only earns 138,000 dollars a year! Compared to the average salary of a professional basketball player which is around 7.5 million dollars.

Even the lowest-paid NBA player recorded in NBA history, Ishmail Wainwright, still acquired a whopping 633,000 dollars for his season.

Athletes are paid WAY TOO MUCH! Where is the money for the janitors, the baristas, the gas station attendants? Where are their lamborghinis? Athletes can buy 10 houses a day! Cara Rothrock, an elementary teacher from Chicago, said, “As I tried to get a house of my own, a car, I found that, as a teacher, there was really no choice. I kind of needed to work a second job.” She helps her community so much and she needs 2 jobs to make a living.

When Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year extension came out back in 2020, a lot of fans had something to say about it. Dan Butler, a graphic designer in the music and entertainment business, said, “Wow pro athletes are paid way too much. And yes, I know they bring in money for the league, but it doesn’t make it right. Teachers are actually shaping children’s futures and they are having to struggle to buy their own supplies, while football players are making 8 million dollars a touchdown.”

However, I don’t entirely agree with all of Butler’s points. Even though these athletes are overpaid, it isn’t really their fault. They do bring entertainment to millions of people and inspire a lot of kids’ minds for which they should be rewarded. But, there is one thing I do agree with Butler about. I think they should be paid a little bit less and the money can go to school and learning supplies to help students get their dream lives in the future.

Further adding on to my point, Coach Shane Hawkins, a basketball coach and former basketball player that won a championship, said, “I do think professional athletes make an enormous amount of money, however, that is also the going rate at which people will pay them. So, it doesn’t matter what the occupation is if people are paying you that amount of money,” said Hawkins.

In conclusion, I think it is safe to say that there are numerous reasons why it is believed that professional athletes are paid way too much. Although they are incredibly hard workers who inspire young generations, I really do think it is ridiculous for them to get paid insane amounts for entertaining the world for 2 to 3 hours on television.