Issues with Athletes’ Salaries and How to Change Them

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Recommended: History and development of sports

Professional sports were beginning to be organized in the 1850s. At this point, their salaries, although they were still higher than the average person’s, were not too outrageous. In the 1880s and 90s, baseball players in particular were making on average about $1,750 annually. Even though this was three times the salary of an industrial worker of the time, they were not happy with this amount of money and felt they should be earning more (Baseball n.d.). In the 1970s, the worlds of professional sports took a drastic turn. According to an article by J.L. Carnagie, “Two words described sports in the 1970s: big business. Owners and athletes in major professional team sports knew there was money to be made in their games, and they went after it.” (Carnagie, n.d.) Athletes, especially, realized how competitive teams were becoming, and they were well aware that talent was in high demand. In the beginning of 1980s, the best athletes were demanding even more money; and the majority of the time, they got what they wanted. By end of the 1980s, many athletes were making over a million dollars (Carnagie, n.d.) These increasing salaries were very ironic because when professional sports began they were intended to be a showcase of players’ talent and athletic ability. Professional sports leagues were also supposed to be similar to the Olympics in that they would be free of politics and influence of society. However, by the 80s, they had become all about the star athletes and how much money they could make. By this point, professional sports had evolved into an industry that was focused on entertainment and money, rather than the sports actually being played (Carnagie, n.d.). It is apparent that athletes’ salaries have not grown all of a ... ... middle of paper ... ...14, from FEE website: http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/athletes-salaries-too-high-sports-fans-blame-yourselves Carnagie, J. L. (n.d.). The 1970s Sports: Overview. Student Resources in Context. Retrieved from Gale database. Key Events in the History of Sports Salary Caps. (n.d.). Issues and Controversies. Retrieved from Facts on File database. NBA Salaries (sidebar). (n.d.). Issues and Controversies. Retrieved from Facts on File database. Professional Sports' Salaries. (n.d.). Issues and Controversies. Retrieved from Facts on File database. Rader, B. G. (1983). American Sports. Englewood Cliffs, NJ United States of America: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Regulating the Leagues (sidebar). (n.d.). Issues and Controversies. Retrieved from Facts on File database. (Accession No. 501450) Sports Salary Caps. (n.d.). Issues and Controversies. Retrieved from Facts on File database.

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