Are NBA Players Overpaid?

[B-Ball Freak]

That money has to go somewhere.

Would you prefer that the billionaire owners get even richer?

How about lowering the prices?...but of course, its not a perfect world.

[Chri2Kng]

If you think the players are overpaid, where do you think the money should go instead? The owners, the management, the concessions people? Or do you think that tickets are overpriced? They're set at the price where people will continue to pay.

It's simple economics people, actors and athletes are paid a just sum considering the huge amounts of money they bring in. If anything it could be argued that the super-superstars like Kobe and Lebron are underpaid.

There is no comparison to be made here with normals jobs like doctors etc. None. Anyone who thinks that there is incredibly foolish.

I think your the one who is naive.

How is he being naive? He's absolutely right. If there were only 400 doctors in the world, you better believe they would be making more money than they do now.


While that may be true it doesn't mean they are not overpaid.

I don't understand why this is so hard for people to grasp. Aren't you required to take economics in high school, or are RealGM posters still in middle school?

[GloriaJames]

That money has to go somewhere.

Would you prefer that the billionaire owners get even richer?

How about lowering the prices?...but of course, its not a perfect world.

Why would they lower ticket prices if people are willing to fill up stadiums at the current prices?

[Sedale Threatt]

Of course they're overpaid. There is zero practical use for what they do. But, there's a huge market for their skills, of which we all play a role in making, so we can't really complain about it.

[LikeABosh]

All sports stars are really but its all relative to what $$$$ they generate.

Yeah, exactly. They're paid to the value the league makes off of them

[Prop]

i understand supply and demand and the market and that they're at the top of their field and all that. so yeah from an pure economics standpoint, i guess not.

but outside of that...yeah, i think they are. most athletes and entertainers are.

[jmb987]

i understand supply and demand and the market and that they're at the top of their field and all that. so yeah from an pure economics standpoint, i guess not.

but outside of that...yeah, i think they are. most athletes and entertainers are.

Well that's the point, the market determines everything. So yeah, when you throw 'everything' out the window, I guess you could make a point that they are overpaid but that wouldn't make sense to do.

[turtlesnjoi]

No.

It's really simple and basic economics.

[Prop]

i understand supply and demand and the market and that they're at the top of their field and all that. so yeah from an pure economics standpoint, i guess not.

but outside of that...yeah, i think they are. most athletes and entertainers are.

Well that's the point, the market determines everything. So yeah, when you throw 'everything' out the window, I guess you could make a point that they are overpaid but that wouldn't make sense to do.

i hear you. trust me i get it. it's not just about the money they earn...it's about the money they generate, the money that the consumer is charged...

i just think when it comes down to it, they play sports, they act, they sing, etc. entertainment is big business. i understand that. but in the grand scheme of things, that stuff is fairly trivial compared to other professions.

[jmb987]

Well that's the point, the market determines everything. So yeah, when you throw 'everything' out the window, I guess you could make a point that they are overpaid but that wouldn't make sense to do.

i hear you. trust me i get it. it's not just about the money they earn...it's about the money they generate, the money that the consumer is charged...

i just think when it comes down to it, they play sports, they act, they sing, etc. entertainment is big business. i understand that. but in the grand scheme of things, that stuff is fairly trivial compared to other professions.

I get that too, and completely understand. It's like teachers...they get mediocre pay but have a big affect on the young generation. But you also have to look at how many people they serve. Most students serve about 30 students per year, give or take a few. Not really a whole lot. Athletes meanwhile, are serving millions and sometimes billions of people per year around the world even though it might be something fairly trivial. The more people you serve or help, the more a person will be rewarded.

[GloriaJames]

Well that's the point, the market determines everything. So yeah, when you throw 'everything' out the window, I guess you could make a point that they are overpaid but that wouldn't make sense to do.

i hear you. trust me i get it. it's not just about the money they earn...it's about the money they generate, the money that the consumer is charged...

i just think when it comes down to it, they play sports, they act, they sing, etc. entertainment is big business. i understand that. but in the grand scheme of things, that stuff is fairly trivial compared to other professions.

I get that too, and completely understand. It's like teachers...they get mediocre pay but have a big affect on the young generation. But you also have to look at how many people they serve. Most students serve about 30 students per year, give or take a few. Not really a whole lot. Athletes meanwhile, are serving millions and sometimes billions of people per year around the world even though it might be something fairly trivial. The more people you serve or help, the more a person will be rewarded.

Teachers are also not responsible for generating billions of dollars in revenue. It's unfortunate that they aren't paid more, but it's the society we live in.

[Agenda42]

Star NBA players are quite underpaid. LeBron should make double what he actually makes, and that goes for another dozen guys in the league too.

The flip side of this is that veteran non-star guys are extremely overpaid. Corey Maggette, I'm looking at you.

[RTM]

The players are actually underpaid. A guy like Lebron or Kobe should be doing 50 millions a month.

600 million a year? That's more than the worth of 27 teams franchise in the NBA. The league would be broke in a few months.

[TheSuzerain]

All sports stars are really but its all relative to what $$$$ they generate.

Aren't you contradicting yourself here? Seems to me like they aren't really b/c of all the $$$$ they generate.

These threads are always hilarious. If you take them as a collective, no they are not overpaid.

[TheToothFairy]

of course it would turn into the "medical professionals vs. professional athletes" debate

becoming a doctor is painfully difficult ... not to mention its a long road ... first the 4 years of undergrad where you need to literally get all A's when competing with classmates who also want to become physicians and need to get those A's ... then its the MCAT which is a rigorous and lengthy exam ... then once you finally get into med school it gets even harder ... the amount of knowledge you have to absorb and master is ridiculous and the board exams you have to take are also very difficult ... and your still not done since you have multiple years of residency after that ... and possibly a fellowship ...

and its the same level of difficulty around the world to become a medical doctor

physicians are paid well though, and everybody knows that ... and their work is also more important than a pro athlete's

Physicians are paid "ok"