How many times have you heard the phrase "professional athletes make too much money"? I know I have heard it over and over, and while I agree somewhat, I tend to defend the outrageous salaries more often than not. Pro athletes do things that only a minute percentage of society can even dream about when it comes to their physical abilities. At the end of the day, they make the money they do because people pay to watch them, and then buy their gear like crazy!
I have taught in a public school for the past 5 years (no, I'm not liberal), and I see that a huge majority of my students support professional sports of all kinds. I often wonder how much money school kids pump into the pro sports market place. I would assume the amount is staggering. With that in mind, these students, their teachers, and school systems as a whole, are facing major fiscal dilemmas right now when it comes to educational budgets and funding the students' learning process.
Keep in mind these statistics are not totally accurate.
There were approximately 1,800 NFL players in 2009 who earned a mean salary of approximately $1,800,000 (1.5 million per player). That means a total of over $3,240,000,000 was paid to NFL players in the year 2009. These guys already pay their UNfair share of taxes like the rest of America, but they are by no means hurting in the area of bank accounts.
What I am about to say will come to a major shock to most people who know me because I am a Libertarian, and I believe the government already needs to stay out of our pockets. Come to think of it, if America would institute the FairTax, my current blog here would be a mute point. We already addressed the fact that school age children most likely account for a great deal of revenues used to pay NFLers, so here's my plan. Let's start making professional athletes give 5-10 percent of their salaries towards education!
Mad at me yet conservatives? I apologize in advance, but it's just an idea. This is an idea that could potential generate $150-$300 million dollars in funding from the NFL players alone. We're not even counting the NBA, MLB, Soccer, Golf, etc.
I'm sure that these guys donate tons of money to education already, right? Just an idea, and I am curious to hear your thoughts!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sorry, you are not a Libertarian. When it comes down to it, you are a liberal when it is most convenient for you. Pour more money into this failed education system by confiscating someone elses money and you call yourself a Libertarian?!?Please tell me you're not serious.
ReplyDeleteHow about this...I think public education is a total joke in America. If you want to know my actual political views, I am fiscally conservative as can be. I have voted Republican or Libertarian in every election since I was 18 except for when I voted for old Zig Zag Zell! Now that was one democrat I liked!
ReplyDelete...and, no, I am not really serious, it is just something I have always thought about. Athletes should make a lot of money, but they should give back as well. So many of them just throw all of that hard earned cash away. Does Michael Vick ring a bell? It's sad that we can't have more Warrick Dunn's in pro sports; a man that did so much good for his community.
ReplyDeleteWarrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks are awesome like that.
ReplyDeleteHow about this.....since you like number crunching...add $3 to every Major sporting event ticket and how much money do you have? You know people will still pay the money. $3 a ticket isn't going to keep anyone from going to a sporting event. What do you think?
Hey, I'd pay $3 more dollars for my UGA tickets if I knew it would help to stop taxes from skyrocketing, and keep professors from getting furloughed! My point of the whole article is just that the government wants to TAX, TAX, TAX. I actually agree with the one ANON above when he mentioned "Pour more money into this failed education system by confiscating someone elses money" being ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteAndy,
ReplyDeleteYou say you are a Libertarian and Libertairian's want less government, right? Then tell me who in the H_ _ _ is going to make these people give 5%-10% of their salary?
And I know you well enough to know that your are not serious or drunk. (could be both)
Do you honestly think that paying $3 more for each Georgia ticket would go into the tax coffers? Get real, Michael Adams would already have that ear marked for some dumb
a_ _ construction project, or give the equestrian coach a $50,000 pay raise
The NFL, MLB, PGA, etc, that's who would make the players pay. Each of the individual organizations I guess.
ReplyDelete600k +/- tickets sold each year would give UGA at least $1,800,000 to give back to UGA faculty and staff.
But, you're right, I'm not really serious, just throwing some thoughts up in the air to rain down on some readers.
Professional athletes, and others in their tax bracket, are already paying far more than their "fair share."
ReplyDeleteIf we would invest as much in our schools as we do in our for-profit prisons we may just end up with more people in that higher tax bracket.
I understand your sentiment though, and I really appreciate your choice of profession.
They are paid way too much
ReplyDelete