Is Haynesworth Worth $100 Million?
Do you think professional athletes are paid too much? Recently on my Facebook a good friend encouraged me to post on this subject. She was enraged to learn that Albert Haynesworth had signed a contract for 7 years worth $100 million to play for the Washington Redskins.
I understand the theory behind this. The owners and managers of the team believe Haynesworth can generate enough revenue for the team to justify the expense. When one considers the business of sports, the truth is that every player is a profit center. Ultimately, every player either needs to earn his keep or help others earn theirs so that in the end the team is profitable.
If Haynesworth is his own profit center, for example, he would need to earn $100 million for 7 years to cover his pay, plus he would need to generate enough revenue to cover his percentage of the team’s overheard, including coaches, support team, advertising, facility costs, etc, and still provide the owners with a profit. Which probably means 1 player will have to generate several hundred million dollars over the course of 7 years to be a good deal for the team. Evidently the Redskins think they can do that with Haynesworth.
That’s not the point though of my friend’s frustration. She sees the current state of the economy. She knows that the public is frustrated with CEO pay and bonuses. She’s fully aware that many Americans are personally struggling. My friend also has walked among some of the poorest people of the world doing mission work, and she knows what a little bit of that wealth could do to help others. For example, Blood: Water Mission reports that $1 will give a person in Africa clean drinking water. If Haynesworth was paid just half of his amount, in 7 years 50 million people could potentially have life-saving water to drink.
I think when I consider it like that I understand what my friend is thinking.
What do you think?
4 responses to "Is Haynesworth Worth $100 Million?"
I am completely outraged by this. Do you know that they laid off a couple of their employees due the economy and worst those employees make about 30-40k a year. I will say that knowing about how NFL contracts are structured, He may not get the full 100 million. A lot of time the put the money on the back end knowing that the majority of players never fufill their contracts due to injury etc. Still 41 million guaranteed is alot of money.
It’s ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They all get paid wayyyyyyyyyy to much and for what? I know it’s a dangerous “job” but come on…. so is mine .
In a free market system, people should be paid what the employer can or is at least willing to pay. I’m a little uncomfortable with “salary caps” in general but understand the “fairness factor” behind them in sports.
However….I am also sickened by the amount of money that goes toward salaries. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if many of our athletes tithed a percentage of their salary each year toward the “common good”? So then the question goes from thinking what $100 million dollars could do to thinking what $10 million dollars could do! Still a chunk of change!! Anyone heard of specific athletes doing this (off the top…not appearances for charity functions)?
I think it would help to build support for the teams if the owners put a portion of each salary they intend to pay back into the communities that the teams are named after. In the long run they would build a larger following and a stronger sense of “home” team.