I get a kick out of some people who rail on about CEO pay and hedge fund billionaires and then they turn around and cheer on their favorite sports team and the new contract for $200 million over seven years given to it's star player.
Consistent with overall wealth inequality in this country are the contracts being given to professional athletes.
Just over the wire, a role player on the Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball team "agreed" to a 3 year contract for $53 million. That's $18 million per year to play basketball. He's on the same team as Lebron James, professional sports next billionaire (behind Michael Jordan) who makes at least $75 million per year with basketball contract and corporate endorsements combined. It will soon be common for the very top athletes to be "making" $100 million per year in total compensation and not long after that where we'll have a plethora of athlete billionaires on our hands.
Listening to the TV analysts talk about how "reasonable" this deal was and how important it was for the Cleveland team about makes you sick, unless you're a completely brainwashed serf, which unfortunately are plentiful.
These high paid court jesters are nothing but play things for the very rich who are quite happy to allow a few of them into their club. Court jesters not colosseum gladiators, these athletes are becoming nothing but jokes with their entry into the .01%.
I used to complain about the high costs of attending professional sports games and stopped attending over a decade ago. Now the money being thrown around is almost comical. Those in the fight against wealth inequality better put this on the list, it can't be untouched and in ways can be a focal point. Most of these athletes don't come from the ruling class ranks, they're put their by their acceptance into the club. Maybe some of them can be reached and become voices we need.
Professional sports have become a harbinger of what's to come in the United States of Wealth Inequality. People better start paying attention.
Better yet, people better start boycotting this farce if they want their children and grand children to grow up in a fair and just world.
YES! Boycott major league sports ASAP! It is totally out of control and the average joe is paying for it! For the life of me, I don't know why the American people support it. And now fantasy football has upped the anti and are taking a big chunk of the $$$. Absolutely sickening.
ReplyDeleteNow if you are low income or someone who doesn't have cable tv you cannot watch you own local baseball team on the local channel. Really? Wow, and it's all about money!
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