Dwayne Wade says NBA players should be paid for playing in the Olympics

[flashjordnk]

Gotta love the NBA stereotypes. There are tons of fans left if you haven't noticed as the sport has been more popular these past few years than in the past.

Sorry to offend the NBA fan in you. I guess I didn't mean to say that there only fans left BECAUSE they play for self interest or money. Just that everyone that's left cheering in the NBA world is largely willing to accept the self interest/money aspect of the NBA. It's kind of hard to deny that the NBA is a star driven league and that those stars demand attention and dollars. Maybe my characterization is a bit extreme, but I think the small team nature of basketball tends to create more situations that leave a "self interest" type taste in the mouths of the more average fan.

I'm actually quite the NBA fan, and as a Sixers fan root for a team without a major star and knows the team needs one before they will take it to the next step. So I see it not necessarily as a bad thing, but just part of the league and the perception they battle with on a daily basis.

[flashjordnk]

Also, I don't think I'd say any sport transcends the thought that athletes generally operate with the first priority being money and self interest. And there is a part of all fans of all professional sports that also comes to accept this from our athletes.

[mweb]

Also, I don't think I'd say any sport transcends the thought that athletes generally operate with the first priority being money and self interest. And there is a part of all fans of all professional sports that also comes to accept this from our athletes.

Yeah, the NFL and MLB aren't much if any better in terms of athletes caring primarily about money and self-interest (and big time college sports is far from pure or innocent in this regard). Maybe you're right regarding the fans perception of the NBA vs the other sports, but I think that's largely on them. The fact that it's a star driven league is part of it, but I think that's far from the only reason.

[mweb]

So he's said that money isn't why he plays in the Olympics.

However, I'm not sure why it's wrong for him to think he should get a cut of the jersey sales and such.

[waroriole]

So he's said that money isn't why he plays in the Olympics.

However, I'm not sure why it's wrong for him to think he should get a cut of the jersey sales and such.

Because the whole point of Olympics was supposed to be about celebrating amateur athletes.

[flashjordnk]

Because the whole point of Olympics was supposed to be about celebrating amateur athletes.

I mean...wasn't the Olympics formed well before "pro" sports have become what they've become today. Also why does America can so darn much about how many medals we win if it's just about celebrating amateur athletes.

Let's not ignore the fact the Olympics have grown to be a hulking pile of money for lots of people involved. See...Michael Phelps. There is nothing "amateur" about that dude. And to think he would have made nearly 1/10 of his money without the Olympics as a stage seems a stretch to me.

I don't disagree there is a celebration of amateur side to the Olympics, but so say that's what the Olympics are supposed to be about seems a bit restricted in view point.

[waroriole]

I mean...wasn't the Olympics formed well before "pro" sports have become what they've become today. Also why does America can so darn much about how many medals we win if it's just about celebrating amateur athletes.

Let's not ignore the fact the Olympics have grown to be a hulking pile of money for lots of people involved. See...Michael Phelps. There is nothing "amateur" about that dude. And to think he would have made nearly 1/10 of his money without the Olympics as a stage seems a stretch to me.

I don't disagree there is a celebration of amateur side to the Olympics, but so say that's what the Olympics are supposed to be about seems a bit restricted in view point.

All of that and I still don't know what your point, or position, is except to tell me that the one sentence response I gave is restricted. Notice that I used the past tense, which should indicate that I was talking about the Olympics from the modern beginnings. Many people will still look at that as the standard for Olympic athletes and be annoyed by the comments of a guy making more than $14M a year saying that he should be compensated for his time.

[Stotle]

I say this from the vantage point of USA Baseball (which I understand is a different world). Merchandising, tickets, whatever, should produce revenue for the organization. Without knowing how much revenue USA Basketball generates for itself, it's tough for me to have an opinion on whether the players should get a cut. I assume USA Basketball covers travel, accomodations, food, truckloads of apparel, and a grand stage to highlight your abilities to fans and sponsors.

In that light, I think the top college players would love the chance to play on that stage and showcase their talents to the world.

[mweb]

Because the whole point of Olympics was supposed to be about celebrating amateur athletes.

Was it? See flash's post.

And other people are making a lot of money based on Wade, James, Bryant, Durant, etc playing in the Olympics. Was that the point of the Olympics? For others to make insane amounts of money off athletes that aren't getting a cut?

[flashjordnk]

All of that and I still don't know what your point, or position, is except to tell me that the one sentence response I gave is restricted. Notice that I used the past tense, which should indicate that I was talking about the Olympics from the modern beginnings. Many people will still look at that as the standard for Olympic athletes and be annoyed by the comments of a guy making more than $14M a year saying that he should be compensated for his time.

It's funny you defend your statement by saying I was being intentionally restrictive, but in the same sense Wade could defend his comments in the same way. He was probably asked, do you think Olympic athletes should be compensated for everything they do for the Olympics and he responded:

It's a lot of things you do for the Olympics -- a lot of jerseys you sell. We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it's not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it.

He didn't say I make 14 mill a year pay me more. He didn't say I won't do it unless I got paid.

He just said, it's a lot of work. I think a lot of guys in sports get abused and don't get paid for what they give to the platform they perform in (see Olympics or NCAA). It's too bad, but I think they should.

To think his restrictive comment on the Olympics had anything to do with your restrictive comment on the Olympics seem un connected to me.

And from a larger point of view, I just don't think the point of Olympics is to "celebrate amateur athletes" anymore. Not in the least.

[backwardsk]

Did Wade ever go into specifics as to how much and who should pay them?

Did/do MLBers get paid extra for the world baseball classic?

Do soccer players get paid specifically to play in the World Cup?

These aren't questions to prove a point, these are all questions that I don't know the answers to.