With the NBA Finals in full swing, thousands of fans are intrigued by the dozens of plays that are made on a nightly basis. Whether it’s an alley-oop from Dwyane Wade to Lebron James of the Miami Heat or an ankle-breaking crossover from Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, viewers are always in for a treat. While watching the game the other night I had a friend ask me how is it that these players whose job is to get a ball into a hoop paid so much. Although undermining the work ethic and abilities of these athletes, this question draws attention to the business end of basketball (and professional sport leagues), another intriguing aspect of the game that continues to cause debate over whether or not professional athletes are overpaid. Is it fair that Lebron James made over 17 million dollars this year?
During the game after having been questioned by my friend, I answered his question with another question. I had asked, “In looking at how much these athletes make, where do you think all of this money comes from?” In sticking with basketball, I found that the NBA averages annual revenue of about $4 billion. This is a large number but what is even more surprising is where this money comes from. The average ticket price for Miami Heat Finals home games have been $570 per ticket. With a seating capacity of over 19,000 one sold out Finals game would bring in over $10.8 million, which doesn’t even include parking costs, food, beverages, and merchandise. Yes, this is a Finals game so tickets would be less during a normal season game but the numbers give an idea to how much one NBA game can generate. Even those who do not attend sporting events are still contributing to this $4 billion revenue if they are watching the games on TV, buying some of their favorite athletes jerseys, or purchasing other types of merchandise with their favorite team’s logo on it.
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In other words, most of us that condemn these athletes for their salaries are contributing to their paychecks by simply turning on the game. This has to make us wonder about whether or not we are debating the right topic. Should the debate be over whether or not these athletes are overpaid, or should it focus more on what their salaries say about America’s values when it comes to sports and entertainment.
words by: Giovanni Waters
