Today, professional athletes can earn millions of pounds in tournaments prizes, sponsorship deals and advertising contracts. While some people believe that this level of income is unjustifiable when we compare their contributions to society to others, I believe that there are good arguments in support of their pay.
On the one hand, it could be argued that sportsmen should not be paid more than other professions. Professional sports are essentially entertainment, and it seems to be wrong that any society would value entertainment over healthcare or education. Therefore, the fact that doctors and teachers are paid low fares in compare with football players and basketball stars does seem unjustified. The situation even seems worse when we talk about other professions that require employees to risk their lives like firemen and police officers as they are often at the lower end of the pay scale.
On the other hand, in my opinion, there are more reason why we are paying athletes such high salaries. First the careers of those sportsmen are much shorter than other professions. For example, it is unusual for a tennis player or gymnast to retire in their early twenties, therefore they have to generate a lifetime’s savings in only a few years. Moreover, the life of athletes requires more discipline to a certain diet and need physical harsh training than the majority of the employees, with grueling training schedules and continual injuries leaving them with a lifetime injuries. Professional sport is a big business. TV companies pay millions of pounds to obtain the rites to show sporting events. Sports men are paid so well not because they contribute well to the society, but simply because they generate more money.
In conclusion, although there are many crucial professions that contributes the most to the society deserving high salaries like sportsmen, athletes have shorter, more dangerous careers and generate millions of pounds in advertising sales. Therefore, in balance, I believe that their high income is justified.