On the Couch : By Dr. Richard Lustberg

An Analysis of Current Topics and Issues in Sport
April 18, 2001

Salaries and Sport

Frankly, I am tired of hearing people complain about how much professional athletes make.

It is constant, incessant, and ill founded. Ill founded in the sense that we live in a capitalist society where a free market economy exists. You know the one where you get paid for your goods or services based upon their value in the market place. Yes, that's us, not China, South Africa or Zimbabwe.

Frankly, I am tired of hearing people complain about A-Rod, B-Rod, C-Rod and all the other clones seeking to renegotiate their contracts, or making demands of their employers. You mean to say this never happens anywhere else in the American work place? If you answered no to this question, you must not come from or live in the good old USA.

As I see it, in the case of any professional athlete, an owner hired a commodity (the athlete) in the hopes of making additional revenue for himself. If this proves to be a good business investment and decision, well like the rest of us he will prosper. If not he will prosper less or perhaps incur losses. Just like the rest of us. This is called an unwise business decision. Check your major league rosters they are full of them. You didn't think that capitalism is a free clinic, did you?

Frankly I am tired of hearing that based upon how much an athlete earns makes him that much more responsible to the recipient of the goods or for the service he supplies. In this case, the fan. Those who think this to be the case are very confused or perhaps live in the aforementioned countries.

As I see it, the employee is directly answerable to the employer. The employer upon hiring the employee informs them of their employment responsibilities, whether playing baseball, football, basketball, or working in a bank.

It is the employer in conjunction with their management team who ultimately evaluates the player's contribution to the team. This is usually measured by how much revenue they have deemed the commodity (athlete) has made them.

Psychologically a confused fan is similar to a confused parent or spouse who often creates additional dyads (meaning introducing another person into a two-person relationship). For example, the wife of a philandering husband blames the "other women" rather than her husband.

I am tired of the media and fans placing the blame on the players and the owners for what they deem problems in the services they are providing. This includes: ticket and food prices, the amenities at the arena, and the starting time of the event.

Consumers frequently complain about hidden costs and inferior quality of goods after they have made their purchase. One thing that is certain in the world of sport is that all the costs and quality are crystal clear. In fact every media outlet in this country covers sports extensively, not to mention our first hand experiences at various sporting events. For further information regarding the quality of the product, you can simply check the standings.

I am tired of those who say we have no choice as a consumer of an entertainment product. Granted sports appears to have a strong emotional grip on many of us, but it is nonetheless a business product. This line of reasoning suggests that we have no choice in the products we purchase and consume. To say that we have no choice is not only a copout, it is an insult to our intelligence and is contrary to the foundation and core of the capitalistic society we live in.

This line of reasoning also suggests that we have given up our inner controls and are at the mercy of external forces. Lawyers frequently use this argument when they are pleading insanity on behalf of their clients. A frightening prospect for our society as a whole.

No one has ever suggested that we live in a perfect society or that democracy or capitalism was an infallible system. However it is the system we have and work under. Perhaps it will change in the future, as it is a work in process. After all our country is in its infancy when compared to other cultures and governments.

Nonetheless, with all its faults capitalism can be very empowering. If you don't like the product (sport), don't buy it. Self control! These are the most powerful psychological and economic weapons we have for change at present. Use them.

A ticket is too expensive, don't go. Your team isn't producing wins, don’t' go. Refreshments cost too much, boycott those franks.