CooksCorner
Active member
I'm on your side genius, I just think the specifics of the analog mapping between the two scenarios aims more at humor than epistemic illumination.
Ski companies pay their athletes what they think they are worth. Maybe aussiepimp is right, maybe they do deserve a higher level of monetary compensation. Maybe they're undervalued. Certainly the risks of being a pro skier/snowboarder are high. The consequences of bodily wear and tear are on the wall from day one; what those guys do to get the shot or win the competition is brutal.
On the other hand Skiing is a niche sport. A relatively small portion of the population seems to partake, as evidenced by the narrow demographic at every resort I've ever visited. Complicating matters is a host of groms chomping at the bit to get their shot at cinematic immortality. Now, I don't have access to the balance sheets, so I cant tell you how big a slice of revenues the athletes receive. What I can surmise however is that MOST pro skiers and snowboarders are seen utterly replaceable by the companies which they are employed. Ultimately skiing is about the personal pursuit of skiing, and not going to see "X" professional ski better than you. Thus its unfair to dream for a professional skiing job that compares to other, more mainstream sports where the intent is actually to go watch Kobe (or whoever) play the game.
If pro skiers want to be paid more, maybe they should start a union. Demand reasonable wages, and coverage of 'business' expenses. But this is the very sort of thing that skiing laments, rejects, and despises. It seems the freedom of skiing comes at a price, and its this price that stands as the opportunity cost I spoke of earlier.
Ski companies pay their athletes what they think they are worth. Maybe aussiepimp is right, maybe they do deserve a higher level of monetary compensation. Maybe they're undervalued. Certainly the risks of being a pro skier/snowboarder are high. The consequences of bodily wear and tear are on the wall from day one; what those guys do to get the shot or win the competition is brutal.
On the other hand Skiing is a niche sport. A relatively small portion of the population seems to partake, as evidenced by the narrow demographic at every resort I've ever visited. Complicating matters is a host of groms chomping at the bit to get their shot at cinematic immortality. Now, I don't have access to the balance sheets, so I cant tell you how big a slice of revenues the athletes receive. What I can surmise however is that MOST pro skiers and snowboarders are seen utterly replaceable by the companies which they are employed. Ultimately skiing is about the personal pursuit of skiing, and not going to see "X" professional ski better than you. Thus its unfair to dream for a professional skiing job that compares to other, more mainstream sports where the intent is actually to go watch Kobe (or whoever) play the game.
If pro skiers want to be paid more, maybe they should start a union. Demand reasonable wages, and coverage of 'business' expenses. But this is the very sort of thing that skiing laments, rejects, and despises. It seems the freedom of skiing comes at a price, and its this price that stands as the opportunity cost I spoke of earlier.
