Sixty eight miliion to play a game?

[jams]

Please give me a justification for this

[Ed Golick]

Please explain for people who don't know what you are talking about.

[MikeM]

I'm surprised that you think the owner should keep more of that $68M.

[Buy American]

It's obscene.

No wonder families can't attend football or baseball or basketball games anymore. These players demand so much to do so little.

[MikeM]

Pretend they're Toyota and boycott them.

[ejames01]

It isn't YOUR money, so I guess it really isn't your problem.

[DetroitDad]

My thinking is that one way or another, you have to pay someone so much to get the rights to their body and soul, and transform their life from a journey of self discovery and idealisms, into a distracting circus spectacle.

HA, HA, HA!

DANCE MONKEY, DANCE!

As long as you have enough money and worship to pay the pied piper, there is nothing to worry about.

I think we have just hit a whole new level of weird around here.

[yupislyr]

Same old tired complaining. It's you [[and everyone else) that makes the sport popular and thereby increase the salary that the players can demand.

Don't watch, don't go [[and somehow convince everyone else not to either). Demand goes down, they get paid way less. Problem solved.

That or get really good at something that's in demand.

[firstandten]

Please give me a justification for this

Its capitalism at work.

[East Detroit]

Jams should be the Paper Lion.

I wonder how that would turn out?

[jt1]

If you are 'outraged' make sure that you don't go to any events, buy team merchandise, etc.

Ultimately this has been in the making for a long, long time and people have allowed it with their support of the teams. Al Kaline was the first player to ever sign for 100K a year but people kept going to games, when the first $1MM/year contract was signed people kept going.

If fans are outraged they need only look at themselves for the blame.

[Ravine]

Sixty eight miliion to play a game?

That is a lot.
With a field of contestants so numerous, the winner should be terribly proud.
Are there "qualifying heats," semi-finals, anything like that, or does the entire crowd just jump right in and have at it?

[jiminnm]

Al Kaline was the first player to ever sign for 100K a year but people kept going to games, when the first $1MM/year contract was signed people kept going.

In 1972, Al Kaline was the first Detroit Tiger to receive $100K/year, not the first player [[after he turned in down for 1971 because he didn't feel he deserved it). Hank Greenberg was the first baseball player to receive $100K/year [[from the Pittsburgh Pirates).

[jiminnm]

Please give me a justification for this

That the amount required to get someone to play for the Lions.

[Johnlodge]

The average lifespan for a pro football player is 52. I guess it's a trade-off they are willing to make.

[gnome]

A long standing question I've had: do professional performers pay city income tax when they play here?

For example, the Lions play 8 games here, do the players pay a tax on their city income? Or since they practice in Dearborn, are they considered Dearbonians?

[Fury13]

Please give me a justification for this

You're equating Suh with a normal person. You're saying that a professional football player is an average Joe, just like a plumber or a teacher or a computer programmer. But pro athletes see themselves as entertainers, more akin to Jay-Z or John Mayer or Denzel Washington.

Since they entertain the public, they figure they should be making entertainers' money. That's been the paradigm for some time now.

[jt1]

In 1972, Al Kaline was the first Detroit Tiger to receive $100K/year, not the first player [[after he turned in down for 1971 because he didn't feel he deserved it). Hank Greenberg was the first baseball player to receive $100K/year [[from the Pittsburgh Pirates).

Thanks for the history lesson and correction.

[Honeyman]

A mere pittance for bringing a Super Bowl championship to Detroit.

[Danny]

BUMP It lacks subject and reason.

[sturge]

There's only so much good football talent to go around. There's a very limited supply of people who can play pro football. Now he can get paid that much because the teams are making oodles more than that and because if they don't want to pay him then another team surely will.

[royce]

Well, the idea that athletes and movie stars continue to make these outrageous salaries is a concern of mine when the average Joe can't find a decent job or has to work two jobs just to make ends meet. Many are complaining about the federal government giving out "bailouts" but no one is complaining about these "entertainers" making the same if not more money during this Great Recession. I don't hear about any anthlete or movie star talking about having to do with less. Those obnoxious spoiled brats on Jersey Shore are getting $30,000 an episode to act like jerks, but school boards across the country are laying off teachers and asking student-athletes to pay hundreds of dollars to participate in a school sport. Something is wrong with this picture. However, this is capitalism, so what can you do, right?

I do know that it is very unlikely that I'll be attending a Detroit Lions' game this year. If you don't buy into some type of package such as season tickets or half-season tickets, the single game ticket price starts at $42 and goes as high as $240. I went to a Tigers game and paid 12 bucks. In my opinion, $42 is a lot for a football game, especially if the Lions are playing. At least if I go to a concert to see one of my favorite performers perform for $42 [[say that three times real fast), I'm going to get my money's worth and walk out pleased, knowing that the performer gave their best. I can't say that if I go to a Lions game.

[Honeyman]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the percentage of revenue on the money raised from attendence at football games is minor compared to other sports. It's TV and subsequent marketing streams where the NFL and all it's teams make their real dough. I don't have the numbers at hand, but I know the networks give tons more money to NFL teams than MLB teams.

[sturge]

If you're in a field that brings in tons of cash and requires hard to find skills, you will make a lot of money. For whatever reason, Jersey Shore has great ratings. Thus it rakes in a lot on advertising. They know people watch it to see them so that gives them the leverage to make that kind of money.

[Honeyman]

I find this thread very disturbing simply because Ndamukong Suh is being talked about in the same vein as Snooki.