Bad argument: it is well known that the Olympics cost host cities far more than is ever recouped from the games; it displaces and inconveniences the residents for years and leaves host cities with debt and useless infrastructure. The proof is in the pudding; the Olympic committee is finding it increasingly difficult to find cities that want to host the Olympics. The last selection processes for winter and summer games saw a record low number of cities vying to host, in the low single digits. Multiple cities withdrew. The Olympics are flat-out a detriment to the host cities and not worth the cost to host. They even consider that in the future, the Olympics may have to be rotated between only a few cities pre-selected and designed with the Olympics in mind because the world has become wise that beyond perceived prestige, the cost outweighs the benefit.

Athletes as role models? Hahaha Hmm I would think about that again. Hyper competitive is willing to cheat with steroids, get caught, lie about it, hell even break the kneecaps of a competitor, cheat on spouses, throw tantrums on the court or in the field, even murder, spousal abuse, that list goes on and on. Yeah, great role models there. Beyond physical talent and ability, athletes can be some of the worst role models you can find. Being an athlete does not qualify someone to be a role model any more than being a Kardashian. You need more than athletic ability to be a role model.

Here are some of your “role models.”:

Lance Armstrong — doping
Michael Vick — dog-fighting
OJ Simpson — murder, robbery
Tiger Woods — infidelity
Barry Bonds — doping
Tonya Harding — conspiracy for assault
Oscar Pistorius — murder
Aaron Hernandez — murder
Ray Rice — assault
Alex Rodriguez — doping
Hope Solo — domestic violence
Ben Roethlisberger — sexual assault
Mike Tyson — rape

Yes, clearly, being an athlete qualifies you to be a role model that any mother would want their child to admire.

Why shouldn’t they be supported? Why should they? That’s not how the world works. They don’t contribute anything worth being compensated for. If they were, they would be compensated for it. And here is the rub: guess what they are. They are called professional athletes, and many make millions of dollars a year. If you want to treat your hobby as a job, get a job and be a professional. Otherwise, it’s a hobby, and you don’t get paid for hobbies. The world isn’t a charity and doesn’t owe athletes or anyone jack to play games for a living. Again, if you want to do that and get paid, then become a pro. Plenty of pro sports are willing to pay talented athletes to attract eyeballs for advertisers. Ultimately, the only value society sees in athletes worth compensating them for is advertising. That’s it, from sponsors to branding and ads. Athletes as a whole, pro or otherwise, the net value is not inherent in them but in monetizing your eyeballs. That means their “value” is the same as TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, or the stupid Kardashians.