Is it advisable that professional athletes often make huge salaries?

NAME : WIN ( CHUL MIN, JANG)
EAP2C
Ms. Wright
Argument Essay #1
September 7, 2007


Is it advisable that professional athletes often make huge salaries?


Today, many sports stars are earning unbelievable salaries. According to Michael(2007) “Beckham, 31, has signed a five-year deal worth close to $250 million in salary and sponsorships to leave Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid at the end of its current season and move to the Los Angeles Galaxy in August”(para.1). Some people censured the news because the gap of wealth between the poor and the rich is getting bigger. However, according to Wener (1996) “The sports industry is a 90 billion industry, athletes’ incomes are only 5 percent of that” (para.3). That is to say, earnings of sports stars have small volume of whole sports industry.
Consequently, because they do their best personally and have important roles financially and socially, they have to be compensated enough.

The primary reason is that professional athletes have a short span as the sports players. In other words, they have short time to be able to earn the money. For example, a general worker, cashier, accountant, entrepreneur or technician who receive the normal salary they can work at least for 50 years until they retire. However, professional athletes are capable of acting as workers for about 20 years at most. That is to say, athletes have less time to make money than general workers. Thus, professional have to earn plenty of money to live the rest of their life during the short duration. Additionally, according to Edison(1931) “The success is possible with 1% inspiration and 99% effort” The above sentence explain us that persistence and passion are required to succeed in a certain part. Professional athletes are passionate and sweat enough to succeed in their parts. For these reasons, they must receive enormous compensation.

Moreover, professional athletes give many enterprises priceless profits. To be specific, In “Fortune Calculates Michael Jordan's Impact on Economy” the author tell us “As hard as it may be to calculate Jordan's overall impact on Nike (a former company executive describes him as the embodiment of Nike's image, and what, FORTUNE asks, is that worth?), the magazine estimates it at $5.2 billion, including $2.6 billion in the still-popular Air Jordan sneakers and other Jordan-related Nike products” (1998,para.4). Additionally, professional athletes bring not only company’s profit but also national profits. The globally widespread popularity of
professional athletes makes country’s merchandise sell very well. Because professional athletes help their enterprises and nations, they have adequate value to compensate for their ablities and efforts.

Finally, professional athletes contribute to society. For instance, sports celebrities donate enormous money to the assistance organization. They do not use up their fortunes for their own sake ,and they help the weak and the poor. Furthermore, professional atheletes are regarded as the icon of juveniles. Children always envy sports celebrities because of their wealth and
popularity and dream to live as sports star. Thus, children aim to be famous and powerful men with the fames of sports celebrities. In short, their high salaries encourage the young to work or study hard.
Opponents of professional atheletes making huge salaries say that Sports stars’ making too much money stimulate a feeling that ones do not possess wealth. However, when general workers see higher salaries, most workers are inspired to raise their ablities rather than feel incompatible for better benefits and more income.

In conclusion, for sports athletes to make enormous money is desirable. They have shorter duration to earn money than any other workers. Furthermore, professional athletes endure their own wants with numerous efforts. Additionally, professional celebrities endow firms and their own countries with numerous gains. Finally, sports athletes have an significant role in helping the weak and being a model to the juvenile. In conclusion, because the advantages of the
above reasons are even better than disadvantages, sports celebrities have to be properly
rewarded.

Reference
Michael,(2007,January 11) Beckham joins L.A. Galaxy- Player signs five-year deal with franchise. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117957172.html?categoryid=1011&cs=1

Wener,(1996,September 23) Are sports stars paid too much? –
Athletes salaries questioned. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPF/is_n4_v96/ai_18724915

Timewarner.(1998,June 1) Fortune Calculates Michael Jordan's Impact on Economy. Retrieved September 7, 2007, from http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,667211,00.html