of professional athletes... who make more than CEO's in this country.


How come when a pro athlete makes an obscene amount of money it's because he's good but when a CEO makes an obscene amount of money, he's greedy?

It seems that a CEO provides more than just entertainment, he provides jobs and a good or service.

6/18/2008 1:37:14 PM

b.c idiots are stupid enough to pay $100 for a ticket

6/18/2008 2:02:00 PM

and pro athletes got some big ass fuckin egos

6/18/2008 2:02:54 PM

don't CEOs control how much they are paid if they have control over most aspects of the company?

I'm under the impression that CEOs have control over how much they are paid, while athletes have to enter negotiations with their employers to change their pay.

6/18/2008 2:10:25 PM

CEOs have to negotiate too with their board. They have to approve salaries.

6/18/2008 2:12:07 PM

Is congress investigating CEO salaries?

6/18/2008 2:12:07 PM

The difference shouldn't be too hard to comprehend.

CEOs of publicly traded companies have a fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders of that company's stock. At some point, if the company is going down the toilet and the CEO is raking in obscene amounts of money (Countrywide) there is a problem.

Athletes have no such responsibility.



[Edited on June 18, 2008 at 2:13 PM. Reason : ^that too]

6/18/2008 2:12:23 PM

ceo salaries are usually approved by the board of directors. However, they can choose to take the company in directions that would greatly affect them financially. It was the case with SAIC, so my dad tells me.

He took the company public which greatly benefitted his shares.

[Edited on June 18, 2008 at 2:14 PM. Reason : .]

6/18/2008 2:13:08 PM

^^Yes, they have a responsibility to shareholders, but do they have a responsibility to taxpayers?

[Edited on June 18, 2008 at 2:14 PM. Reason : ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^]

6/18/2008 2:14:03 PM

we're just talking about greed here.

Exxon CEO makes a lot of money. He provides us with gasoline and countless jobs. But he's greedy.

Tiger woods hits a golf ball into a hole (and does well at it) and is INSANELY rich. But he's just good.

6/18/2008 2:14:39 PM

after they're done, they can investigate how Julia Roberts and Chris Tucker get $25,000,000 to shoot a movie

6/18/2008 2:16:30 PM

No, it's the CEO getting paid $10m a year that they're after. THOSE GREEDY FAT CATS WHO SUPPLY US WITH JOBS AND AN INVALUABLE GOOD/SERVICE

6/18/2008 2:17:32 PM

Im all for congress shutting the fuck up and letting a free market work.

They should do away with the income tax. Who the hell are they to say how much someone needs thier property or the fruits of thier labor. Esp when they just give it to someone else. That is very unethical.

6/18/2008 2:18:35 PM

BECAUSE THEY'RE GREEDY EYEDRB.

6/18/2008 2:21:38 PM

Isn't our gov. itself a product of the free market?

6/18/2008 2:23:09 PM

our govt causes alot of the problems today. We would all be better served if they would get out of our lives further. imo

However, they create a problem and thier solution is more govt control. SO continues the downward spiral.

6/18/2008 2:33:33 PM

you know that if the athletes didn't get paid so much, the owners would just get more money instead, right? Whether Alex Rodriquez is making $10M a year or not, the Yankees will still bring in $x00M through ticket sales and TV revenue. If that money doesn't go to the players, who would you rather receive it?

6/18/2008 2:58:15 PM

maybe then the owners wouldnt ask taxpayers to build thier place of business... then ask for a new one every 7 yrs. Or lower ticket prices. I dunno

6/18/2008 3:02:21 PM

Doubtful. Pro sports franchise owners are the ultimate Cadillac-driving welfare queens.

6/18/2008 3:51:38 PM

The issue with CEO pay is that the free market is not at work often times.

When a CEO has the power to pick and promote officers making pay decisions, you've got a "fox guarding the henhouse" type situation. The will of the shareholders is often ignored, and although these corporations may be able to absorb the top-heavy costs due to their size, it's not exactly a free market system. CEO's are commanding exorbitant pay packages not only for their abilities but also because of the excessive power they wield on the board of directors. It is due to the fundamental structure of most corporations in the US. You must remember the corporations serve shareholders, and they are regulated accordingly. With respect to CEO pay, there are very few mechanisms in place to protect the interests of these shareholders.

In Europe, CEO and other upper-level management pay is determined by a supervisory board elected by shareholders, which is independent of the executive board which handles day-to-day operations. This provides a safeguard against pay manipulation on the part of executives.


[Edited on June 18, 2008 at 4:01 PM. Reason : 2]

6/18/2008 3:57:12 PM

maybe congress should investigate the issue of being able to set their own salaries paid for by tax payer money.

6/18/2008 6:13:29 PM

Quote :

"They should do away with the income tax. Who the hell are they to say how much someone needs thier property or the fruits of thier labor"

Totally agree. the income tax is A)unconstitutional and B)your income is a private agreement/contract between you and a company, the government should not even be able to tell how much you make!!!!

6/18/2008 6:37:51 PM

wow, glad someone agrees. Although Im not sure if you are joking terd.

If we cut out the income tax our govt would still take in the same amount of money it had in 1997. Thats just ridiculous how much more we spend. And these idiots want to keep on spending. We cant fund the future of these entitlements and they are proposing new ones. And the ignorant masses swoon over these clowns. I dont get it.

[Edited on June 18, 2008 at 6:45 PM. Reason : .]

6/18/2008 6:44:06 PM

^na, Im not joking

not to mention if we got rid of the IRS thats a pretty big chunk of government Red tape (aka spending) we could toss out.

6/18/2008 6:53:18 PM

Quote :

"of professional athletes... who make more than CEO's in this country."

And how much do the owners of these teams make?

6/18/2008 7:02:46 PM

^a lot more than an individual athlete on his team...however there are franchises in sports who have poor attendance and actually lose money (ie the Charlotte Bobcats) while the players still get paid regardless

also slightly off topic, but the NBA, for example, has guaranteed contracts for their players...ie you sign a 4 year, $40 million contract, even if you are injured the entire time they can't cut you they have to pay you...a sport like the NFL doesn't have guaranteed contracts...sign the same 4 yr / $40m deal and if you suck in year 1 they can cut you and not owe you money for the last 3 years

6/18/2008 7:05:53 PM

it is the M.O. of the far left to demonize the wealthy through taxes, investigations, etc...

6/18/2008 8:11:13 PM

^ people who are really wealthy are usually on the far left.

How many of those millionaire NBA players you think support republicans? Then you have the hippies like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and all those hollywood actors, who you don't normally see embracing conservative ideals.

6/19/2008 12:59:25 AM

I am talking about old money.

6/19/2008 8:27:16 AM

^^ think you are a little short sighted.

NBA players for the most part incorporate miniorities are usually vote democrat.

Also, talking of Bill gates and Steve Jobs both of these guys are in the tech industry which is more left leaning then other industries; furthermore they live in seattle & silicone valley respectivly which is the liberal capitals of america.

6/19/2008 5:35:11 PM

Is it not fair to assume that if the entire US population is suffering from having to pay more for a need such as gasoline that we expect the CEO(s) of the oil company(s) not become excessively wealthier off of that need?

They argue that they HAVE to raise the price of gas to match the supply. If that is true, they shouldn't be making any more money than they were before.

6/19/2008 6:14:40 PM

COLA. Please apply your same logic about executive's salaries to all workers.

6/19/2008 6:16:45 PM

^^ They make their money the same way every other low-margin business makes money: volume, volume, volume.

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 6:26 PM. Reason : ]

6/19/2008 6:26:36 PM

I thought the point of the investigation is to determine whether they are making a higher margin on the gas that they should be, assuming they are telling the truth that they are paying more for the oil.

I haven't personally looked at the numbers, but would it really be all that surprising to find out they are marking up the gas prices much higher than the markup they are paying for the oil?

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 6:33 PM. Reason : ]

6/19/2008 6:32:51 PM

Let's look at the numbers (watch the scale):


http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/fsheets/real_prices.html

As of April, distribution, marketing costs, and profits make up 6% of the cost of a gallon of gas.
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp


And an FYI:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/gasolinepricesprimer/

[Edited on June 19, 2008 at 6:46 PM. Reason : ]

6/19/2008 6:44:24 PM