Marques Ogden's Wage

Census reported in September 2014 that the U.S. median household income in the United States was $51,939 in 2013, which means the lowest salary in the NFL is eight-nine times more then the median income in our country” (Fleyshman). Players make loads of money because people will pay the price to watch their favorite team. Every time someone buys a ticket to watch a game or every time that a company wants to sponsor the team, that team makes more money then many businesses. The NFL teams are making so much money and they give money for charities, but why can’t they give more money to the charities or to towns that have lost many houses because of a terrible storm. They are doing charities and campaigns, “but they are not making as mush difference as doctors who are saving lives”

There are twenty-five players who make more than ten million dollars per year, a price that, ten years ago, only two

Bennett, Dashiell. “Only 22 Of 120 Division I Athletic Programs Made Money Last Year.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc., 15 Jun. 2011. Web. 28 Oct 2014.This supports Frank Crumley’s claim that most athletic programs “work in the red.” The author also shows how football is the big money maker. Not all departments can pay their players. Therefore, it would be unfair for departments that can pay their players to do so. The figures come from the NCAA annual report of revenue and expenses for Division I sports. This is one of my main arguments against paying football players.

While growing up in the state of Texas I was introduced to National Football League (NFL) at a very young age. Not only was I obsessed with great players like Emmitt Smith and Michael Irving, I had a more finical appreciation for the lucrativeness associated with the NFL. My young adulthood as well as my teenage years was spent playing and learning football with the aspirations of hopefully making it to the NFL. Unfortunately, my playing days ended with tryouts at Texas Tech University, but my love for the game has remained stagnant over the years even till this day. The NFL today is Americas most watched sports league and has taken the crown as the most lucrative and unique economic force in sports. Forbes offered approximations stating that on average, the NFL generates more than $6-9 billion a year in revenues alone. A third of the individual franchises in the league were appraised at over more than $1 billion while the other franchises average nine figures or higher. The NFL as an organization generates its revenues through a multitude of ways ranging from huge television contracts, in-stadium ticket sales, advertising ads paid for by sponsors and merchandise. Their business model unlike most other leagues, is centered on a hard salary cap on player contracts which provides cost certainty with its sponsors. In this paper, I will examine the economic and historical narrative associated with the growth of the NFL’s

Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Gay Culverhouse Concussions have become a high priority head injury at all levels of football, but is being spotlighted on the National Football League (NFL) and a well-known issue among retired players who are now suffering the long-term effects of their years as football players. Today when we see a famous football player our attention is on the six figure contracts, million dollar houses, and fast cars. We don’t see the enormous pressure these players are put under and the hardships they put their bodies through every day so their families are taken care of for the rest of their lives. Gay Culverhouse, the former owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has become an activist for former players through her book, Throwaway Players: The Concussion Crisis: From Pee Wee Football to the NFL. The book is filled with emotionally pulling stories and tons of statistics.

“The NFL must open its eyes to the consequences of its actions. The NFL has the power not only to give former players the care they deserve, but also to ensure that future generations of football players do not suffer the way that many in my generation have.” (“Mega-Lawsuit”).

It’s become almost an expected norm that close to 78% of NFL players become bankrupt barely 2 years after throwing in the towel in their careers. That’s intriguing!

A survey conducted by Five Thirty Eight, a website based polling and statistics company, discovered that high-ranking college quarterbacks are worth approximately $3 million (Karaim, 2014). Many “pay-for-play” proponents argue that high profile players like Johnny Maziel are the reason why the NCAA needs to reform their amateurism policies. Furthermore, advocates insist that current forms of remuneration such as scholarships, stipends, and education, although good, are inadequate in compensating players for their physical contributions (Treadway, 2013). Another concern of advocates is whether current NCAA guidelines provide players with the income needed to cover basic necessities like food, clothing, transportation, and other expenses associated with the cost of attendance (Karaim, 2014). In

Marshall, Blake, and The Daily Utah Chronicle. “Should Athletes Be Paid to Play?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 20 Oct. 2016, college.usatoday.com

Clinton Portis is in the midst of a bankruptcy. He earned just shy of $50 million as an NFL star, but his lifestyle quickly ate that nest egg away. In December, Portis told the court that he owed $5 million but only had $3 million. Granted, he was hoping to get another $10 million if he won lawsuits against two companies that he is suing. He said there was only $150 in his checking account.

This also occurred with Ohio State Quarterback Terrelle Pryor. He was said to sell team memorabilia and make significant money from it. This was the same with A.J. Green. They were suspended in a result of their actions.

The elite NFL athletes in the United States get paid far too much. There are multiple examples of rhetorical tools found throughout this article. Deion Sanders’ Texas-size mansion deals with the context and the audience deals with NFL and MLB fans. The uses of facts and statistics is highly used throughout this entire article. In “Big home advantage: Deion Sanders ' Texas-size mansion is just big enough to contain his family, his faith and his heart," Shirley Henderson argues that NFL Athletes make way too much money, using effective strategies of pathos, concessions, and statistics to support her argument; while these strategies are effective, the author does not consider irony to enhance the appeal of the argument for her audience.

Ed Martin, now deceased, paid Webber and a number of other future NBA players significant amounts of money (the total is still disputed, but Webber claims it was around $40,000), which the players accepted—a clear violation of NCAA policy.

The men’s football and basketball programs indisputably bring in the most money, and the next program pales in comparison. Ryan Vanderford, a law associate who deals with white collar matters, states in his law journal that one player at the University of Texas is estimated to be worth $578,000 dollars alone; he goes on to mention that the school only pays roughly $37,000 dollars on that student (1). That is just one example of this scenario, there are many other athletes with very similar situations. The student’s likeness is sold to video game companies, used on jerseys and posted in ads, and because of this the NCAA generates substantial revenue. Division I college athletics was approximately worth eight billion dollars last year (Simpson 3). In a

I also wrote about how the minimum wage policy directly benefits me. My job started me at minimum wage and I am thankful that the policy is in place or I could have been making less. I do believe that the number is low though. Minimum wage in North Carolina has not increased since 2009, but the cost of living has. I like how you pointed out that it is only $15,080 a year because we must recognize that many people are working full time as their only job. I believe that policy makers should consider raising the minimum wage in North Carolina.