Joey Rubin
Mrs. West
4th ELA
4/13/11
Title
$30.14 million? That’s how much money NBA’s Michael Jordan made in the 1997-1998
season. That is A LOT of money, just to play a game. Professional athletes are over paid to play.
They merely play a GAME. I understand why they make money, but $30.14 million? That is
CRAZY Professional athletes should have a salary cap because there athletic jobs are not vital to
society, they make money that could be used for education and health, and more teams could
afford players, making leagues more competitive.
Professional athletes make money that could benefit society better in other areas of
society. People in power, like the president, are more worthy of that amount of money. “The
president made 1/29 the money Barry Bonds made in one season. With no president, there would
be a problem and without Bonds, the only problem would be the San Francisco Giants would
need a new outfielder” (Turner). In addition to the president, professional athletes would not
have all their skill if they did not have their various teachers and instructors. Doctors, police, and
fire fighters save lives and require a lot of money, whereas athletes do not save lives. Funding for
teachers, doctors, police, fire fighters, and leaders would be more beneficial than giving athletes
huge salaries.
More teams would be able to afford players if there is a salary cap, making leagues more
competitive. Teams with a lower budget would be able to have good athletes play for them
because they would have cheaper contracts. For example, if the best player could only make $10
million, than many teams would offer the player a contract. Players would go to teams to win,
not for money, and possibly be more loyal to a team if a salary cap was in place. Leagues would
be more competitive if small-market teams could afford players, as stated, “It might help smallmarket teams,” (USA Today). Leagues would be more competitive, teams with a lower budget
would be able to have great players, and players would play more to win than for money with a
salary cap.
Athletic jobs are not vital to society, as they do not save lives or educate. Other jobs are
more deserving of such money. “If anyone makes millions, they say, it should be people who
mold lives and save others, like teachers, firefighters, police officers, and doctors” (Weekly
Reader). Many athletes would not be as good of an athlete without their teachers. Almost all
athletes have coaches helping them improve throughout their careers. Athletes do not help
anyone, in the sense of education and live saving, they merely entertain, which is a job field that
could be smaller than it is. People pay to watch athletes pay their sport, if some of that money
benefited local education or health care, society would benefit much better than if athletes
received the money. Athletic jobs are not vital to society because other jobs would use the
money in a better way, many athletes would not be as good of an athlete without their teachers,
and athletes do not save people’s lives or educate, they merely entertain.
Many people believe that, “market forces can find ways around salary limits” (USA
Today). The salary cap could have a rule that players can only receive money from teams
through direct salary. Another objection to a salary cap is, “team owners, not athletes, would
keep more revenue,” (USA Today). To overcome that, a percent of the owners’ revenue must be
put into the local education system. If teams are more evenly matched up, it is argued, fans may
lose interest in teams since there will be no or fewer superstar teams. But, leagues will be more
exciting with closer matched teams. Some people do not want athletes to have a salary cap, but a
salary cap could benefit education systems, make leagues more exciting, and players would only
receive money from direct salary.
Professional athletes should have salary caps. With a salary cap, money that athletes
would normally receive in their paycheck could be used for job fields necessary to society. Also,
leagues will be more competitive since small-market teams can afford better players because of
the salary cap. Finally, athletic jobs are not vital to society, and mankind could live without them
being so high. With a salary cap in place for professional athletes, athletic leagues would more
competitive and society would benefit greatly.
Works Cited
"Professional Athletes' Salaries September 1999." Turners Homepage. Web. 01 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.turnerhome.org/jat/echo/salary.html>.
"USATODAY.com - Pros, Cons of a Salary Cap." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports,
Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com. 01 Sept. 2004. Web. 01 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2004-09-01-pros-cons-salary-cap_x.htm>.
WEEKLY READER. Weekly Reader Corporation, 1997. Web.
<http://discoverer.prod.sirs.com/discoweb/disco/do/article?urn=urn%3Asirs%3AUS%3BARTIC
LE%3BART%3B0000030038>.