Professional athletes are paid too much money compared to other professions. Athletes get paid millions of dollars just for playing sports. They deserve to earn their fair share; it is just an excessive amount. 

Athletes are for entertainment and other jobs like teachers, doctors and firefighters who work year round and are necessary for educating citizens, keeping people healthy and protecting people from disasters, respectively, should be greater compensated for their efforts. 

This is becoming increasingly evident as in July 2024, NBA superstar Jayson Tatum who plays for the Boston Celtics, signed a five year, $314 million extension with an annual salary of over $62 million. In contrast, the average salary for a primary care physician is $287,000 a year. For a profession where you may be the difference between someone living and dying, the massive pay disparity is simply unacceptable. 

The massive salaries of athletes make prices for everything else much higher. Ticket prices for games are extremely expensive and team gear costs hundreds of dollars. People and fans cannot afford to attend or view the games. It is more about money and profit than entertainment for the community and fans. 

Many athletes lose a ton of their money after they are done playing their sport. The high salaries don’t always lead to smart choices. Even though athletes make millions of dollars and bring in a ton of money that doesn’t justify the pay gap. Being good at sports is impressive and extremely hard but the pay gap is just too much compared to those who provide essential services for people’s health, education and safety.