Why are NBA players overpaid?

[Jizzy]

Think about it. Timmy D. signed a 40 mil. contract. That's considered "cheap" for him. Think about it, 40 MILLION. Most of us would be lucky to see one million in our lives. Do you think NBA players are severly overpaid for playing about 100 times a year, getting free medical insurance, and dumb little kick-ins on there contracts?It's crazy.</p>

 

[Dumpy]

Jiazzy, there are a lot of ways to possibly respond to this question. For instance, you could point to the league revenue from sources like broadcast rights and merchandise as the culprit--the cash will ultimately flow to the performers in any entertainment venue.</p>

But I'll answer in a different way: There are actually a very small percentage of players that get that kind of money. First, consider the small percentage of players that actually GET to the NBA. The far majority of college players either never play professionally, or end up in the D league or a small league overseas. The average player that makes the NBA has a career that just lasts a year or three. For these players, they may make a couple of hundred thousand dollars, or if they are lucky, a couple of million of dollars. That sounds like a lot, but the truth is that, once their careers are over, most will either be unemployed, teach kids, become small businessmen, etc, none of which pays all that great. The bottom line is thatmany lawyers, accountants, doctors, financial analysts,etc. will make more money over the life of their careers than most basketball players will make over the life of theirs. They just happen to make theirs over a very short time frame.</p>

 

[Black Republican]

Its not just da NBA</p>

 

[Universe]

The higher the salaries, the higher the ticket prices. It is sad how much it costs to go see a game in Toronto and actually have half decent seats.</p>

 

[kdub]

Great insight Dumpy.</p>

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Also I agree Universe. Wouldn't it be great if player salaries came down to a point where going to see a game would be the price of watching a movie? Then you really have something the whole city can come to, support, and have fun.</p>

 

[Kidd Karma]

Well as long as us hard working...will never see a million dollars working class people pay money to see them play, then yes, they will continue to pull in that kind of cash. I remember years ago, the Oakland Raiders of the 70's would actually walk through the parking lot after a game and party with the fans, fans would give them food to take home too. They moved and tradition was priced out when they returned. Now they are celebs, no more guy next door.</p>

I work for a wholesaler, one of our largest truck carriers sales rep, was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the mid 70's, his son plays for the Phillies now. But he got a tryout and I'm sure some expense money for the trouble of going to camp etc. He did not make it but was given an option to going to something similar to the D League, but he passed, because of the money, it was hundreds for about 5 months of basketball. He went out and got a 9-5. Today you have Euro leagues, Mexican Leagues, Chinese Leagues, Filipino leagues that probably would have paid him more than one year of his 9-5 salary today. People want entertainment and basketball is one of the avenues of entertainment. How much did the Friends stars make per episode their final season? It's something crazy.</p>

 

[GM]

If anyone deserves to be paid top scale, it's TD. He's at the top of his profession. Yet, he doesn't have a max contract.</p>

Unlike other players (Rashard Lewis, Kenyon Martin and others), TD and Al Jeff don't hog payroll. That gives management a chance to surround them with talent. Winning is a direct result.</p>

As for why those that make it into theNBA are so highly paid:The players union essentially owns half the business. It is a socialized sport. Fifty percent or more of the business' revenue is shared with the union. The money has to go somewhere. It goes to the bestplayers ... Or to those that foolothers into thinking that they are [the best]. Hence the high price of a rebound ...or a basket ...and a ticket. Watch other leagues play if you wantto save on the cost of a ticket.</p>

The unions of other major sports have tried to copy the NBA in terms of player salaries and revenue sharing, but not withquite the same amount of success. There is an 'entertainment factor' to the NBA, but it is stillbasketball - not Hollywood. </p>

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[Kid Chocolate]

It's every sport. Look at MLB salaries.</p>

 

[GMJ]

NBA players aren't overpaid because they don't have control of their pay in a larger sense: its the market.</p>

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

It's every form of popular entertainment, really.</p>

 

[GM]

It's not necessarily the market, but the way payroll structure evolved and the CBA. Teams must pay-out a minimum payroll. The best performers are rewarded with the most lucrative contracts They earn the lion's share of industry revenue and team revenue. It's like Hollywood. It also has a top-heavy salary structure. If A-Rod gets $350 million from some team, eventually he can buy an NBA franchise.</p>

 

[Kidd Karma]

What ARod's already gotten 150 of that 252 million dollar Ranger contract thus far.</p>

 

[GM]

Yeah, he can probably buy an NBA franchise already - if he finances it!</p>