In a world where the average bench player makes the type of money that lawyers and doctors do, it is safe to say that maybe they are earning a little too much. The top stars in professional sports are making salaries that are reaching proportions that rival even the richest of men. But are we short sighted to take this approach? Do sports superstars deserve this type of money?

To really understand why they do deserve it, you have to understand the pyramid. The leagues that govern all of the teams and players are making money that would boggle the imagination. The teams themselves are making a ton of money. The players make a lot of money because they put all that money in the team and league’s pockets. What is wrong with that formula? Absolutely nothing, at least as far as the players are concerned.

If we take issue with anyone, it should be the league and the owners. They set the prices for the tickets, merchandise and various other revenues that come in. If the products are selling, they will keep raising the prices until they see they have hit a ceiling. As the league and team revenue increases, more and more players will be earning the mega millions. The bottom line is that without the players, the teams and league go bankrupt. Would it be more fair to let the league or owners keep the money? Of course not.

The Entertainment world is no different really. The stars generate revenue. That revenue is directly tied to the salary that they receive. Box office stars that always bring top dollar to the movies bring in top dollar to act in them. It is a giant version of our everyday lives. It just so happens that professional athletes are in a field where someone can not “choose” to be in it. They have to have very specific talents, and they likely spent their entire lives working towards just that.

While professional athletes certainly make a ton of money for what they do, they are deserving of it until we decide that ticket prices and memorabilia are too high. We actually control the amount of money that they make, even if we do not see that. Football, basketball and baseball players simply go out and play, and then demand their fair share of what is earned. For us to begrudge them that is shortsighted and unfair. Not one of us would walk away from a multi-million dollar payday if we had that type of talent. Why should we be upset that they earn it?