regardless of whether you think it's good or not, the simple truth it is the definition of America, that any person can go out there and freely negotiate their wage and what they are worth. it always drives me nuts when people say pro athletes make too much or are over paid. it's the exact opposite, it's the owners who write their checks that are over paid and make too much. in principle, every athlete is allowed to negotiate the salary they are paid, true capitalism. if someone is willing to pay them their asking price it works, if no one is willing to pay their asking price, they'll have to lower it. supply and demand economics. in the pro's, in most cases, they've implemented a salary cap or luxury tax so the others don;t screw other owners by over paying and readjusting the price market. it's actually why pro athletes are underpaid because the leagues and owners put restrictions upon themselves to prevent unlimited spending and true marker negotiation, unlike european soccer.
but in most sports cba's the owners (usually 32 of them) split the multibillion dollar tv revenue with the players in almost an even 50/50, i think some leagues may be 48/52. but the point is 32 owners get the same amount paid to them as do the 400-1500 players in the leagues and people will complain the players get too much when the owners do nothing but make the same amount only split 10x-50x less ways.
right now with NIL, every college player has the right to negotiate with any of the 330+ plus bball schools or 120 football schools to earn money, or however many women's teams and sports there are. it's pure capitalism at it's best. imagine if in your job right now you got go negotiate in all 50 states, with hundreds of potential employers and there was no salary structure of what you will make. the market and your skills will define your paycheck.
my wife works in norton's hospital and she's screwed as her pay scale is always structured on a base then years worked. she can't negotiate. she doesn't get bonuses. she can't get raises based on her performance and the worst worker in her area makes the same as the best. but it's a non-profit and that's how they control costs. or my buddy was a manager at whole foods but his pay scale strictly enforced w/ no OT possible.
they dream they could negotiate with their bosses but they cannot. and the benefits prevent them from leaving as the same pay scales exist w/in other local companies. so i admire these kids for getting the truest american experience, self determining your pay. so while you think they make too much money, don't ever blame them for what they get. if anything, blame the people with the wealth to pay them. always remember, the boss pays, hires, trains, teaches, regulates, supervises and fires yet the workers usually get blamed for the companies failures and they take the wage cuts while the bosses take bonuses. but the best companies and teams spread with wealth to benefit more alleviating animosities that cold be created. it's a mad, mad, mad, mad world (old spencer tracy movie for you youngin', go watch it).
