curated by kay mckenzie

What if you could make $20 million a year, while people watch you run, tackle and throw a ball. NFL players are making millions, and it is an insult to people who won’t see that kind of money in a lifetime, no matter how hard they work. The NFL salary cap for 2017 has increased to $47 million, and is officially set at $167 million per club.

Tom Brady has the ability to be the NFL’s first $30 million a season player. How many degrees could you get with $30 million dollars? How many schools could receive the funding they need to guarantee a quality education to students? From a young age we are taught, go to school, get an education, knowledge is power, but with each generation we are showing them that this is a lie. While putting millions into sports, education funding is decreasing, and the cost of going to school is rising. By decreasing the amount of money each player gets by $2 or even, $1million the impact it could have in education is enormous.

Some might argue that these players are risking serious injuries or even their lives; they deserve the money they are getting paid. I do not disagree, but the questions still stand how much more money do they need? When is enough, enough! Over the last four years the salary cap has risen $10 million each year. The NFL is receiving more money but an average Super Bowl ticket costs over $1,000, which an average fan can’t afford.

What is even more interesting than the NFL seemingly just throwing money around is the fact that the NFL cheerleaders being grossly underpaid, especially compared to the players and coaches. The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders whom are, the most recognized NFL cheerleading organization today, and is only making $150 per game. The team at one point even has a TV show that followed their gruesome audition and training process. The Cowboys cheerleaders are so famous that they make appearances all around the world. On average, an NFL cheerleader can make anywhere from $75 to $150 per game, not including the work they put in at practices. If it is true that players are getting paid so much because they are part of an elite group, why isn’t it the same for their female counterparts? Many will argue they work just as hard. They are required to work out daily, attend practices and games, and team events. The San Francisco 49ers’ cheerleaders are just the most recent team to file a lawsuit against their club for better pay and treatment, and they surely will not be the last.

For every person who disagrees with me, there is one that agrees. One definite fact is the distribution of the money needs to be going to more than just the players. Of course, there are many other issues going on in society that need funding and pay raises. The overall point is NFL players are earning an enormous amount of money while their fans can’t even afford to pay for a ticket to a game.

#Football