Do Athletes Have Too Much Power Over The Economy

Do athletes have too much power over the U.S. economy? Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world” (Tannenwald). This is especially with the U.S. economy. In a culture where people commonly idolize athletes, athletes affect the U.S. economy greatly. This brings up a question: Do athletes have too much power over the economy? While sports bring in jobs, money, and entertainment to millions of people, some think that athletes are overpaid. One could examine the cultural effects of glorifying athletes and sports. One would have to question if it’s healthy for the economy to have a person with a high athletic aptitude dominating the economy, or the ethical consequences of an athlete using his or her power to control what people do. Athletes’ power over the economy is generally healthy, and they bring jobs and revenue into the United States.
The sports industry produces about 14.3 billion dollars per year,

Upon Lebron James' return to Cleveland, LeRoy Brooks, an emeritus professor of finance, estimated that James would generate 162 million dollars in revenue. LeBron James’ return also increased revenue for downtown spending; Dave Guentzler, the owner of Panini’s, says that the “bar’s revenues are up by 200 percent from last season” (Vardon). On the other hand, sports can have a negative effect on the economy. In Friday Night Lights, a show about football in a Texas town, shops and other businesses close down on the night of a high school football game. This means that those businesses cannot earn money during this time. Additionally, the quarterback and the head coach of the local high school football team made a speech at the opening of a car dealership, showing the advertising power of athletes and their coaches (Bissinger, Pilot). Especially relevant is government spending related to sports. In 2004, the government spent 732 million dollars of public