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[QUOTE=ConanRulesNBC]We pay their salaries. So, yes, they do.[/QUOTE]
Only the people who go to and watch the games pay their salaries. And even then, those people are making the choice to do so.
Now teachers, policemen, firemen, and government workers. We pay their salaries whether we want to or not, when we pay our taxes.
Even if they don't really "owe" us anything. I'm tired of either side here claiming to be a helpless victim in this. I'm so sick of people sticking up for the players and/or owners.
The people going to games dont really even pay their salaries either. Only 1.1 of over 4 billion comes from ticket sales.
The owners sure as hell dont need the fans. They are billionaires to begin with.
The players do nothing but sell their goods(in this case...entertainment) at a price people find it fair t opay. Even though most pay nothing at all and watch it on TV(unless we are counting cable costs...in which case everyone on tv owes everyone in the world).
NBA fans get hours of entertainment and then claim to be owed something for...tickets and shit...which players and owners no doubt spend money on too. Most of them at a higher rate than fans.
Players buying dozens and at times hundreds of tickets. their family watches the games.
They are fans like the rest of us....only as rich fans they likely spend more on the NBA than we do.
But we pool all of humanity together and combined...yes. We put more in than 400 players/owners.
But thats that buying/selling is. They offer a product. We buy it.
End of transaction. Nobody is obligated to sell or buy anything.
I'm going to disagree and say that pro athletes do owe their fans. I'm not sure exactly what they owe, but at the very least I think that pro athletes should show their fans respect by recognizing that it's fans of the game that allow them to live the lives they lead.
Athletes can show that respect by doing simple things, like thanking the fans when they get a chance, or signing or few autographs. I also believe that popular pro athletes should recognize their influence on society, and should embrace that responsibility as the role model that they are (whether they like it or not, Chuck).
This goes back to my Spidermans uncle quote earlier in the thread, "with great power, comes great responsibility". It doesn't matter if these pro athletes don't want to be idolized, because they are. They should understand the things they do in their lives, can effect the lives of people they've never even met. Obviously athletes (or anyone) shouldn't live their lives by the wishes of others, but not understanding or choosing to ignore their social influence is plain irresponsible.
It's really a trip if you sit back and imagine what it would be like if you were someone who directed social trends, or effected the lives of millions of people you'd never even meet. You see it a lot more with Musicians and Artists than you do with someone like a pro basketball player, but can you imagine the pressure? I can tell you that I work in a high pressure, high emotion business myself... but I'm not sure I could handle being a social icon. Perhaps that's why I'm not.
ps- sry for the rant. I just smoked a cyclone of some ATF... back to watching Vinnie J drop 22 in the 4th quarter.
[QUOTE]I'm going to disagree and say that pro athletes do owe their fans. I'm not sure exactly what they owe, but at the very least I think that pro athletes should show their fans respect by recognizing that it's fans of the game that allow them to live the lives they lead.[/QUOTE]
Really...
Doesnt the public allow every person with money to live the life they lead? I mean...we dont call people who buy Toyotas toyota fans...but those people provide the great sums of money that many people make working for Toyota. First person shooter fans allow game developers to live well. whoever has the rights to the snuggie...owes his money to people who like to have warm arms as they watch tv?
Once you start down the rich people owing the public road you pretty much have to include...everyone who isnt poor and say they owe everyone else for giving them their lifestyle.
Its pretty much just...the world at work.
I dont see how an NBA player owes me any more for watching ABC than Seth Mcfarlane owes me for watching Family Guy.
They produce something I like.
All im supposed t oget out of it...is enjoyment. They arent obligated to provide me with it.
Im sure thousands of people provide the means for me to have everything I own.
Doesnt mean I owe them anything. Everyone is a buyer and a seller.
If I get something for free...then I owe. If I give something for free...then im owed.
And frankly...ive gotten a lot more from the NBA for free than ive paid for unless we are counting commercials as me paying....
Rich and powerful people do owe more back to society, but most of these people don't make their money as social icons. Entertainers have always bared the burden of being role models. That's what our society promotes. We can talk all day about how parents [I]should[/I] be role models, or teachers [I]should[/I] be role models, or [I]scientists[/I] should be role models... but that isn't reality. The reality is that singers are role models, actors are role models, reality tv stars are role models (scary)... and pro athletes are role models. These are the people that kids (and adults) look up to and idolize... which is why these people make the money that they do. I'm not claiming Entertainers should live their lives by other people wishes, but they should recognize the impact that their decisions may have on those people who look up to them.
Kblaze...usually I've thought you were a know it all ****ing **** prick, but I like you here. The NBA absolutely doesn't owe us anything. This isn't World War ****ing II When the men were sent off to war and the women were working the factories. I'm sure some of you little boys will find some little games to play in the mean time while us grown men frankly just drink more Maker's Mark and remember the older times. **** you all, basically. I love this thread, btw. Good going, kblaze, **** the whiners.
I think back to being a kid at times when I hear about athlete role models...
I...dont think...I was that stupid.
The only person I ever looked up to role model wise was my grandfather while I had him.
Ive always felt that treating kids old enough to reason like blank slates or...like they are brainless...was half the problem. I cringe when I see someone do "baby talk" to a kid they expect to learn to speak properly.
I remember hating being talked down to as a kid. Im quite sure I was smarter and more responsible by 12 than many adults. And the older I got the more clear it became that most adults are nothing to emulate.
I try to give kids more credit than to assume they are gonna turn out to be douchebags because Lebron might be.
[QUOTE=Kblaze8855]I think back to being a kid at times when I hear about athlete role models...
I...dont think...I was that stupid.
The only person I ever looked up to role model wise was my grandfather while I had him.
Ive always felt that treating kids old enough to reason like blank slates or...like they are brainless...was half the problem. I cringe when I see someone do "baby talk" to a kid they expect to learn to speak properly.
I remember hating being talked down to as a kid. Im quite sure I was smarter and more responsible by 12 than many adults. And the older I got the more clear it became that most adults are nothing to emulate.
I try to give kids more credit than to assume they are gonna turn out to be douchebags because Lebron might be.[/QUOTE]
Yada Yada, have a shot of Scotch and shut the hell up.
[QUOTE]Only the people who go to and watch the games pay their salaries. And even then, those people are making the choice to do so.
[/QUOTE]
......What? How do you think they make money?
They get those huge national and local tv deals because people watch the games and advertisers want exposure to them.
The fans/people DO pay the salaries.
Among the more ridiculous things I've heard.
[QUOTE]Kblaze...usually I've thought you were a know it all ****ing **** prick, but I like you here. [/QUOTE]
Well thats because im pretty sure I do know it all and im glad to say so.
[QUOTE]The NBA absolutely doesn't owe us anything. This isn't World War ****ing II When the men were sent off to war and the women were working the factories. I'm sure some of you little boys will find some little games to play in the mean time while us grown men frankly just drink more Maker's Mark and remember the older times. **** you all, basically. I love this thread, btw. Good going, kblaze, **** the whiners.[/QUOTE]
I didnt notice till now but...I have been drinking more.
Shit I never drink too. Like gin.
And my friends dad gave us an idea for thanksgiving. Said in the 70s they would get a big new trashcan, all the fruit they could find, 2-3 bottles of ever clear, and top it off with juice and shit and drink it on holidays.
Sounds good to me.
[QUOTE]......What? How do you think they make money?
They get those huge national and local tv deals because people watch the games and advertisers want exposure to them.
The fans/people DO pay the salaries.[/QUOTE]
No more than the "fans/people" pay the salaries of everyone who has a job.
They just get more because more people buy what they offer and they are more important to its production than most people are to what their job offers the public.
I agree the fans aren't owed anything.... you pay to watch your team play, you get enjoyment out of that, you get entertained, thats what you pay for.
If I go the cinema every couple of weeks and pay to watch a film for my own entertainment, does that mean the cinema owes me something? Of course not.
^
Some say the actos owe you. Somehow. They owe you more than the movie you paid to see.