So, there’s a lockout going on in the NBA right now? The news tells me that it’s been 126 days so far. The fans have been deprived of 126 days of NBA basketball …because of, you guessed it…money. The NBA has decided to split the revenue down the line 50/50, or so they say. The players say they want NO less than 52%. Previously they were given 57% of the revenue. What’s the problem you ask?
Now, normally, I wouldn’t care too much about sports, and I really still don’t. I only watch them to have conversational material when I’m out and about. Let’s face it, sports is talked about more than just about anything else, aside from the Kardashian’s antics! Yes, people really DO care about what famous people are doing. I won’t go into semantics about what I think of it all, that’s not the point here. Let’s focus on the issue at hand; NBA players are being deprived of their 57% cut of the revenue, and are having the prospect of taking a paltry 50%? That’s preposterous, right? It’s a travesty, an injustice even!
Reality check! I’m sure that most people, unless they’ve been “living under a rock,” know that these guys are making some SERIOUS money, to the tune of MILLIONS of dollars at their contract signings. “They’re athletes,” you reply. “They take a risk going out on the court!” I couldn’t agree more; yes they do. But, here’s something that you probably didn’t even consider; they are ENTERTAINERS. That’s right…entertainers. They do it to keep you amused, confused, enraged, and entertained. They get paid the big bucks to keep you focused on what really matters…who’s going to win the playoffs, and off of what’s going on in Washington, or even locally. They get paid to distract YOU! Don’t you see it?
They get paid to give you something to kill your time in your so-called lives. You become passionate, you cheer on your favorite team, and you don’t consider the fact that this is all ENTERTAINMENT, just like the guy who plays in a band in the bar down the street. The difference there is that while the NBA player is making millions of dollars, this guy is not even making one-tenth of what Mr NBA guy is. He’s still an entertainer, but because he’s just some nobody, he’s being paid peanuts to play in dive that only wants him there so people will come in, drink beer and buy hard liquor all night long. At the end of the night, this guy goes home with enough money to buy groceries for the week, and maybe, if he’s lucky, to buy gas for his car.
I’m sure you know where I’m going with this, but I’m going to say it anyway; the NBA player is OVERPAID tremendously. Fact is, most of these guys squander away their fortunes over time, end up in rehab, jail, and become a color commentator for the media. The truth is, I wouldn’t begin to know what to do with all that money! Sure, I’d pay off my debts, and buy a few nice things, but after that, I’d be lost. Is there a bit of envy that these guys make more money in one year than I’ve made in my lifetime? Perhaps just a touch. If these sports weren’t commercialized so much, then we’d really see who’s in it “for the love of the game,” wouldn’t we? The basketball court is nothing but a stage, and the players are…the players…performers and portrayers. That reminds me of a certain Rush song….Limelight?