Fans Attempt to Raise Money to Keep Star Player

(The player is Drew Brees, but that's not what im going to get at.)

My point is, why are people trying to solicit money to keep a professional athlete?

Are some people really that naive or desperate?

Seriously, why are people asking for money to keep a guy who is holding out over not being happy with $17 million a year?!?!

There are people making $25,000 a year who can barely make it by living check to check, but yet, he isnt happy with getting nearly $20 million dollars a year. And fans want to ask people to give their money to a guy who isnt happy with an insane amount of money? What is wrong with people?

Am I the only one who sees an issue with this?

I too dont see the rationale; however, it is more about forcing the team to pony up.

IMHO, fans pay soooooo much for tickets, parking, concessions, etc that they should not feel the need to "raise funds"

My thought is that the fans pay the money to sit in the seats and watch what they want to watch. If that star player is one of the main reasons for butts in the seats, then that player should get whatever they ask for. Sure, it sucks that they hold out for more, sometimes, but if - in my job - I feel like I'm worth more.. damn right I'm going to make every attempt at making what I feel I deserve.

In the case of Drew Brees, the guy has been the face of the Saints. Pay him.

Adam, I agree but sometimes teams need to move on.......see StL. I am not saying they are currently better w/o Albert but it is nice to see Adams in the Bigs.

Yeah, but (and totally my opinion) I don't think you're going to find Brees' leadership in anyone but Brees when it comes to the Saints. He knows how to work the team down here.

I don't get it either. Brees is not hurting for money. I understand fans wanting to put pressure on the organization to get something done and I believe Brees would give the money to charity. I still wouldn't participate.

Football is considerably different than baseball. There is a salary cap. Investing too much in 1 position on the team could hurt a franchise for years to come. I'm not saying Brees is or isn't worth the money, it's just very difficult to spend that kind of money on 1 player when you have to have 52 more. With the salary cap right around $120 million, $17 million going to Drew is huge. The same can be said for Denver throwing stupid money at Peyton Manning.

If winning were truly the important part of the equation, I would think that these players would keep their salary demands in check. That would allow their team the flexibility to sign other highly talented players to help them win. Obviously, winning tends to take a back seat to a lot of the "superstar" caliber players. They give the reasoning of how hard the game is on their bodies, they need to prepare for their futures, $17 million isn't enough to feed their kids, and so on. It's pisses me off.

That was not entirely directed at Drew Brees, but it gets ridiculous hearing some of that ****. No one forced them to play football (or any other sport). Feel free to get a real job and grind it out at $25-30K a year and then come talk to me.

I re-read what I wrote and I want to clarify something. It doesn't affect my life in the slightest when these players make their demands. When I said "it pisses me off", it doesn't actually make me mad or upset.

It sounds like I go Hulk-smash things. :lol:

I'm not saying Brees shouldnt get what he is worth. I believe everyone should be paid in approximation to what they are worth to their business, agency, company, etc. Is Brees worth the money he is asking to the Saints and New Orleans, I believe so although it is open for some debate.

My issue is with the people who are asking for fans to give money to him as a "bonus" to keep him happy. What is going through people's minds? Just handing over money to a multi-millionaire athlete? Why not donate the money to a shelter or food bank where it can actually be of some use instead of lining the pockets of someone who makes more, literally, in half of a game than most do in a year.

I'm sorry, but if he is not happy making nearly $20 million dollars per year and feels the need to keep complaining about how he feels unappreciated, I dont feel sorry for him at all.

I think what George is saying (and what I'd agree with) is that the gathering/donating of money to the cause is more of a symbolic gesture saying "If they won't give it to you.. then we will". It's something they SHOULDN'T have to do, because they already are by means of tickets sales and television ratings.

A_Pharis said:

I think what George is saying (and what I'd agree with) is that the gathering/donating of money to the cause is more of a symbolic gesture saying "If they won't give it to you.. then we will". It's something they SHOULDN'T have to do, because they already are by means of tickets sales and television ratings.

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True. But why not get a petition started online that will gather 10 million signatures?

I can see why the gesture is powerful using money, but to me it just seems more along the lines of validating an already huge sense of entitlement that Brees has.

Wow that's crazy. They must REALLY love him in NO. One could argue Brees had just of much of an impact on the city of NO as Manning did Indianapolis. Pony up Saints.

Contracts are what separate baseball from football. FB players can be cut and contracts (outside of guaranteed money) be null and void. The Pujols contract would not be bad if the team could scrap the contract as he becomes less productive.

Fans have the power but rarely exercise their power. Cardinals fans could have refused to buy tix after the team failed to sign Albert.......but they did not. Stop raising money and act with your purchase power.

Saints fans are gluttons for punishment, George. They'd rather still buy tickets to see the Saints pull an 0-fer.

George_Calfas said:

Contracts are what separate baseball from football. FB players can be cut and contracts (outside of guaranteed money) be null and void. The Pujols contract would not be bad if the team could scrap the contract as he becomes less productive.

Fans have the power but rarely exercise their power. Cardinals fans could have refused to buy tix after the team failed to sign Albert.......but they did not. Stop raising money and act with your purchase power.

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That's a really good point, and one of the major reasons NFL players get in such crazy disputes. They know it could be all over at any point. So they try to get as much per year as possible.

I know one thing. I wouldn't want to play in the NFL if I had a chance to play any other sport. It's crazy hard on your body, and it can be all over in a flash with little to show for it once you are dropped.

George_Calfas said:

I too dont see the rationale; however, it is more about forcing the team to pony up.

IMHO, fans pay soooooo much for tickets, parking, concessions, etc that they should not feel the need to "raise funds"

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+1

Why do people presume that $17M/yr for a franchise player is being greedy? The owners are the greediest bastards around, that's partly how they became the owners of a pro franchise.

Yet very few blame the owners for NOT ponying up, even though they are making hundreds of millions all while not risking their livelihood, career, or brain function. Who is being greedy when they charge $100 a ticket, $20 for parking, $10 for a beer, or $120 for a jersey? The NFL Sunday ticket is like $400.

As George mentioned, the fans are paying enough. Is Brees worth $17M a year? Absolutely. That franchise in nothing without him. Are the owners filling the seats at $100/ticket? No, Drew Brees is. Ownership should step up and pay Drew whatever amount he wants. They are the ones who make enough money, not the players.

This is another reason to love John Elway. Dude asked for the league minimum for his last year (was it two years?) so that the team would sign an offensive line to protect him. That won him another Super Bowl ring. (And it didn't hurt that he was smart with his money, built up a car dealership franchise, and then sold it with his name attached for 80 million right around the last year of his playing career).

I'm glad that Payton Manning signed with Denver, but if he really wanted to catch and possibly pass his little brother in rings, he would have taken a lot less money with a stipulation that the difference go towards the top free agents on the market. He will make enough from endorsements alone. Of course, an ego can be a very powerful thing.

This has nothing to do with the amount of money Drew Brees will make this season. None.

He simply wants to sign a long term deal that would allow him to walk away as a Saint. Drew Brees has given countless amounts of dollars and hours to the city and charities of New Orleans. It's time the organization treats him with the respect that he gets from his teammates.

jbhofmann said:

This has nothing to do with the amount of money Drew Brees will make this season. None.

He simply wants to sign a long term deal that would allow him to walk away as a Saint. Drew Brees has given countless amounts of dollars and hours to the city and charities of New Orleans. It's time the organization treats him with the respect that he gets from his teammates.

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This was the same story in StL with Albert. The team wanted to pay him for what is was going to do in the future and not what he did in the past. Albert was underpaid for years but the new Cardinals ownership did not feel the need to correct that matter.

George_Calfas said:

This was the same story in StL with Albert. The team wanted to pay him for what is was going to do in the future and not what he did in the past. Albert was underpaid for years but the new Cardinals ownership did not feel the need to correct that matter.

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George I have to respectfully disagree. Baseball contracts are guaranteed. NFL contracts are a series of 1 yr contracts that are labeled as multi-year deals. I signed a 6 figure contract with the St. Louis Rams in 2004. I got $0 of it because I was cut before the season started.