Notes

I. “According to USA Today, the median salaries of players in the NFL is $677,647 a year” (Stein 1).
A. People believe that most NBA teams make between 200 and 300 million dollars annually.
B. Because there are only a few select athletes who are good enough to make it in those leagues should be paid enough. Players who attract fans to the media and help fill the stadiums deserve their portion of the very highly paid teams.
C. Professional athletes are not overpaid.

II. Athletes deserve the pay they receive.
A. They earn their salaries like people of other professions do as well.
B. People at the top of their chosen field are rich. For example, the average accountant makes a comfortable living, but “the top accountants in the world are millionaires many, many times over” (Ator 1).
C. Teachers, nurses, police officers, and firefighters should be paid more because they benefit society more than professional athletes.
D. This is not public money; it is the owner's money and, therefore, their right whether they want to give it to someone. “If you think teachers and nurses and police officers and firefighters should be paid more… be prepared to pay higher taxes for them” (Ator 1).
E. Professional athletes play professionally because they have the best skill and hard work.

III. Athletes do not become professionals simply from their talent.
A. They work hard and spend large amounts of time in practice and games.
B. “They put in over 40 hours a week of practice, study, workouts, and game time” (Stein 1).
C. Their salary is not a reasonable amount because they do not work as hard as people with other jobs that make a greater impact to society.
D. “They don't choose their salaries, the industry does” (Monduy 1). Each franchise makes a different amount of money and the player's salary is derived from that. Fans choose to spend money on game tickets, jerseys, mugs, etc. “The sports industry has such a high income that players benefit from it” (Monduy 1). Fans determine the success of the sports industry.
E. Pro athletes make sacrifices to get where they are and it does not come easy for them.

IV. “They start young and finish young” (Ator 1).
A. They have to start at a young age to have a chance to play sports professionally later on, and the chances are still very slim.
B. “Only the very best, in the most physically demanding sports, can hope to have a career lasting beyond 15 years” (Ator 1).
C. Playing a sport you love that you started at a young age is more enjoyment than sacrifice. After “working” for 15 years, pro athletes can move on or find new jobs.
D. While the chances of becoming a professional, “they are sacrificing all the joys of the teenage years we take for granted” (Ator 1). For a normal job, people can begin in their 20s and work for 30 to 40 more years. Athletes have no “discernable or marketable skills” (Ator 1).
E. They do not have the best careers because, while it lasts for only a short time, they have sacrificed many fun experiences young children and teenagers get to experience.

V. Professional players make a lot, but it is also used in good ways.
A. According to USA Today, the median salaries of players in the NFL is $677,647 a year.
B. Although it is a lot, athletes need extra money for after they retire since their careers are short, and they have to pay much more for health insurance as they risk their health very often. Also, they will live with bodily pains and injuries for the rest of their life.
C. People should accept the fact that pro athletes get paid more than typical occupations. If sports fans dislike athletes’ amount of pay, they should reduce spending money for sports to decrease the sports industry’s profit.