Olympic ratings crash...

[seer]

can you say triggered???

ESPN writer troubled by American flag at Olympics: 'I keep thinking back on the Capitol riots'

https://www.foxnews.com/media/espn-w...-capitol-riots

[mossrose]

Couldn't one make that accusation of all professional sports, though?

Yup. And I do. The money that those athletes and their owners are paid is obscene.

[rogue06]

Yup. And I do. The money that those athletes and their owners are paid is obscene.

In their sorta defense.

A) Nobody is forced to support them with the exception of helping to fund new stadiums -- and that needs to stop! It was bad enough when a team abandoned a stadium after 40-50 years (and there are still a few iconic stadiums still out there), but now a team starts grumbling about a new stadium after a little over a decade. But aside from that, folks aren't forced to attend or watch games, buy merchandise etc. Although with sharply dropping attendance/viewership those huge salaries might start shrinking -- possibly hitting the players who aren't stars first.

2. Unlike an actor, who can get eight figures for a movie that took six weeks to film, or the diva who can do likewise with a few big venue concert appearances, an athlete's ability to earn top dollar generally only lasts a decade or if they're very lucky, two. And generally actors/singers/musicians don't have career's cut short due to crippling injuries. Or are in pretty beat up shape in their 40s -- unless it is due to a life of debauchery. So an athlete has a shorter time to make big money than do some other entertainers (who rarely do folks complain about), but are generally suffering from at least one nagging injury at the end of that short career.

[mossrose]

In their sorta defense.

A) Nobody is forced to support them with the exception of helping to fund new stadiums -- and that needs to stop! It was bad enough when a team abandoned a stadium after 40-50 years (and there are still a few iconic stadiums still out there), but now a team starts grumbling about a new stadium after a little over a decade. But aside from that, folks aren't forced to attend or watch games, buy merchandise etc. Although with sharply dropping attendance/viewership those huge salaries might start shrinking -- possibly hitting the players who aren't stars first.

2. Unlike an actor, who can get eight figures for a movie that took six weeks to film, or the diva who can do likewise with a few big venue concert appearances, an athlete's ability to earn top dollar generally only lasts a decade or if they're very lucky, two. And generally actors/singers/musicians don't have career's cut short due to crippling injuries. Or are in pretty beat up shape in their 40s -- unless it is due to a life of debauchery. So an athlete has a shorter time to make big money than do some other entertainers (who rarely do folks complain about), but are generally suffering from at least one nagging injury at the end of that short career.

Yeah. I feel the same way about actors and musicians, etc. I agree with you that the fault lies with the audiences as much as anything. People will just insist on throwing their money away.

It's the same with WoF preachers. If people didn't feed them they wouldn't keep asking for more.

[One Bad Pig]

In their sorta defense.

A) Nobody is forced to support them with the exception of helping to fund new stadiums -- and that needs to stop! It was bad enough when a team abandoned a stadium after 40-50 years (and there are still a few iconic stadiums still out there), but now a team starts grumbling about a new stadium after a little over a decade. But aside from that, folks aren't forced to attend or watch games, buy merchandise etc. Although with sharply dropping attendance/viewership those huge salaries might start shrinking -- possibly hitting the players who aren't stars first.

It'll affect the star players first, because the owners have to pay enough people to make up a team, and star players' salaries have a disproportionate impact on that. This is especially true of American football, where there are minimum salaries on one end and a salary cap on the other constraining how owners can spend money on player salaries.

[rogue06]

It'll affect the star players first, because the owners have to pay enough people to make up a team, and star players' salaries have a disproportionate impact on that. This is especially true of American football, where there are minimum salaries on one end and a salary cap on the other constraining how owners can spend money on player salaries.

History has shown that teams will keep salaries low for non-star players in order to pay for the stars. In fact, there have actually been a few instances of a star accepting less money specifically so that other players could get more.

[rogue06]

Looks like there has been an uptick in viewers since the first couple of days.

[Mountain Man]

It'll affect the star players first, because the owners have to pay enough people to make up a team, and star players' salaries have a disproportionate impact on that. This is especially true of American football, where there are minimum salaries on one end and a salary cap on the other constraining how owners can spend money on player salaries.

We can dream of seeing athlete salaries reduced to that of the average working American. It might make sports actually worth watching again if the players aren't a bunch of overpaid pampered brats.

[Cow Poke]

So what's the deal with Norway's VB team? They got fined because they weren't naked enough?

[rogue06]

We can dream of seeing athlete salaries reduced to that of the average working American. It might make sports actually worth watching again if the players aren't a bunch of overpaid pampered brats.

Back in those days it was far from being a profession. Players typically had other jobs during the off season. The whole purpose for Spring Training in baseball was because the players returned out of shape and needing practice.

Not any more.

And if someone can make eight figures playing make believe for a few weeks, or singing at a few large venues, then why shouldn't someone who is actually risking something not be allowed to do so over the course of a season? And as I mentioned earlier, they have a much shorter time that they can make the big bucks compared to singers and actors.

Still, personally, I'd like to see all entertainer's salaries get scaled way back. Not as far as you do though.

But even more, I'd like to see their influence diminished. For far too many people, especially when you're younger, if you ask them who their hero is they'll list off an entertainer. Few of them are legitimate heroes. They are stars. Big diff.

[Sparko]

So what's the deal with Norway's VB team? They got fined because they weren't naked enough?

Yup.

[rogue06]

So what's the deal with Norway's VB team? They got fined because they weren't naked enough?

I think the singer Pink has said she will pay for any and all fines they receive.

[Cow Poke]

I think the singer Pink has said she will pay for any and all fines they receive.

wow

[KingsGambit]

I always find it weird that when big sporting events come on (like the Super Bowl, Olympics, etc.), people, and not just on this site, but everywhere, always have to go out of their way to talk up how little they care. (Especially with the Super Bowl; my Facebook is full of people bragging about how uninterested they are.) I don't play video games or watch movies, but I don't go into those sections of TWeb and post about how I don't care when someone starts a thread about a movie or game.

Having said that, I am sympathetic to the idea that it is in poor taste hosting it in Japan right now, especially with Japan under heavy restrictions due to poor vaccine rollout.

[mossrose]

I'm sorry that I don't care.