Why Are Professional Athletes Overpaid

Did you know that the average salary of a professional football player is almost four times the salary of the highest payed type of doctor? However, a pediatrician’s salary on average is only $156,000 a year, which is almost 12 times lower than the average football player. The salary of professional athletes is one of the most currently debated topics among all people. I believe that professional athletes are not overpaid because they are role models to their community, work really hard, and are only making as much as the fans pay to watch games.
Athletes train their whole lives to get where they are today. To become a professional athlete, you have to be dedicated, hardworking, and talented. From young ages they set their mind to becoming athletes and work hard every day to make it come true. I know I want to be an orthodontist when I am older, so I will work hard to achieve my goals. If I wanted to be a professional hockey player, I would work hard every day until I made my dream come true. If an athlete is truly talented and worked hard to get where they are today, they deserve to make the amount of money they do.

Another reason that I believe athletes are not overpaid is because most of them give back to the community and are great role models.

This year a player from the Philadelphia Eagles, Chris Long, donated his entire base salary, one million dollars, to educational charities. This is only one story out of the thousands of players in professional sports. Not only do these athletes help their community but they also give great hope and motivation to others who want to become athletes as well. Everyone always says that the chances of someone becoming a professional athlete are slim. The players who have made it to professional teams are living proof that anything is possible if you put your mind to

it.
I do believe that doctors and soldiers play a huge role in the world we live in and definitely deserve the salary of a NFL player or a NBA player. However, it is impossible for their salary to be that high because there is just not enough money in the world. Professional athletes make the amount of money that their franchise can afford to pay them. It just so happens that most professional sports teams happen to be worth more than a billion dollars. On top of that, there are only 53 players on a football teams roster and even less on a baseball, basketball, or hockey teams roster. There are almost 1.4 million active duty U.S. Military personnel in the world. If you had to divide a billion dollars between 1.4 million people, they would have a much lower salary than if you only had to divide it between 53 people.
Finally, professional athletes make money off of endorsements, ticket sales, and merchandise. Millions of fans around the world have some sort of paraphernalia for their team. I can tell you from personal experience, because half of my closet is filled with Philadelphia Eagles jerseys, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and more. Just today, my dad received an Eagles puzzle and an Eagles T-shirt for his birthday. Every week, thousands of fans fill stadiums, arenas, and ball parks to watch games. Not only are player’s inspirations to millions of people, they also provide a family for fans and they give people something to love and follow for the rest of their lives.
In conclusion, I do not believe athletes are overpaid because they work hard for what they earn, inspire people, give back to the community, and put their bodies in harm’s way for a game which they will only play for a decade or two. Sure they don’t impact other’s lives as much as doctors, lawyers, or soldiers, but they deserve what they earn because they are living out their dreams. Professional athletes are proof that you can do anything if you work hard and believe in yourself.