Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 at 10:25 am  |  74 responses

Ray Allen: Players Should Be Paid to Take Part in the Olympics


According to Ray Allen, the NBA and USA Basketball need to find a better way of compensating players when they sign up to play for Team USA. Reports Fox Sports: “You talk about the patriotism that guys should want to play for, but you (need to) find a way to entice the guys,’ Allen said. ‘It’s not the easiest thing in the world if you play deep in the playoffs and then you get two, three weeks off and then you start training again to play more basketball where it requires you to be away from home and in another country. It’s fun, but your body does need a break Everybody says, ‘Play for your country.’ But (NBA players are) commodities, your businesses. You think about it, you do camps in the summer, you have various opportunities to make money. When you go overseas and play basketball, you lose those opportunties, what you may make… If I’m an accountant and I get outsourced by my firm, I’m going to make some money somewhere else.’ The U.S. Olympic Committee does provide every American with $25,000 for winning a gold medal, $15,000 for a silver and $10,000 for a bronze. But Allen, while not specifying an amount, has a way he believes could result in Team USA players drawing a fair salary. ‘If it’s licensing,’ Allen said. ‘(The players) are wearing jerseys and (others, but not the players, are) making money off it. Something (should be done) just to say to the guys, ‘Hey, you guys are spending this much time, 40 days, playing basketball, we’re paying for some type service that you provide, that you’re getting some kind of kickback’… I know that you sell unlimited jerseys so I think the players should get some piece of that.’”

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  • shutup

    He is talking about taking a part of the Jersey sale profits. Actually has nothing to do with the actual Olympics. They play for pride, but what happens to the money made off of their names? So its ok for the companies (whoever sponsors the jerseys) to keep all of it. You don’t think names on the back of the jersey move units? Maybe they should get a percentage of their individual jersey sale, would everyone be happy with that?

  • BBaller

    Any money raised should be put into the American youth Basketball system ie Under 16s etc. Sorry Ray you just went down 3 points in my eyes.

  • dan

    well, i wouldnt come up with an arguement that it should be an honor to represent a country because nationalism and patriotism is just narrow minded and vicious. but it should be an honor from a sportsmanlike-point of view for any olympic participant. they all earn way enough in the nba and on this stage they can show character.

  • LA Huey

    I would only chastise Ray Allen or other like-minded athletes if NBC wasn’t profitting from broadcasting the Olympics or if all the sponsors did so anonymously or administrators involved were only compensated room and board for their work, etc.

  • http://slamonline Brion

    Ray Allen is making 10 million this year to put a ball through a hoop. If he doesnt want to support the same country that allows him to be able to do this then just go away. lost mad resprect for this. No ones asking him to go crawl through the trenches. just go play the game your supposed to love.

  • alex80

    @JB, Killing Arabs in Irak ain’t the same like playing Basketball like Sugar ray.

  • LA Huey

    People want to bring up military service like that’s noble. How often does the US military take action to defend “freedom” and “equality” as opposed to “wealth”?

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Dammit Huey, you better than that. How often do military men and women sign up to bring the US wealth? That’s why it’s noble. Because they signed up for the right reasons. It’s not up to them who they attack, and when. They are doing a service for their country. We repay them by giving them respect for that. I do anyway.

  • LA Huey

    The fact is, what the military actually does, isn’t noble. Also, I’m not going to doubt that people sign up for what they get in return. And they do have a choice to decide if the war their asked to fight is for the right reasons. If they refuse, they go to jail. But almost all decide they don’t care or they’re not willing sacrifice their personal freedom to “do the right thing”. Which I don’t blame them for because I would make the same choice (whether to fight or not, once I’m already signed up) in their position.

  • bike

    Huey is the man. Ray is right. Nike and usa basketball, coach k, nbc, all make money, why shouldn’t the workers who draw in all the paying customers. Agree with jtaylor as well, what’s good about repping this country?

  • hushabomb

    If Jesus plan was in action then here’s the question??? Would Jesus kick some of his profit to the women’s basketball team. They regularly play for the Olympic team, have to play in 2 continents in order to make half decent money and generally have harder conditions to play under than an NBA player does.

  • Cell

    The value of getting to play for your country at the olympics should be priceless. If you don’t see that you don’t deserve to wear the jersey

  • deadbored

    the staight up undefiable ignorance of some of the people who post on this site! We live in a very corrupt world unfortunately, so there is no favors when talking about business. And you people have no right to judge someone when its there business, time and life thats on the line not yours. get a f*ckin grip guys

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    Why are people bringing up the rigors of playing in the WNBA in this convo? Them having to play in 2 continents? Playing year round? Haviing Team USA’s Men’s team give the women’s team a share of profits? How does that make things right?

  • Boogster

    To those who think being in military service is a noble thing, i beg you to consider the fact that A WAR is the biggest business in the whole world. Only noble act during a war is to defend your family.

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Chris

    The majority of you think the NCAA is scam, this is not that much different train of thought. Throw patriotism and representing you country in there and a lot of flip-flopping goes on. I agree with Ray, companies make millions and millions off the Olympics, via endorsement sales, tourism, tv deals etc. Why shouldn’t all athletes who have put their body through hell to get there not reap the majority of the reward for the hard work they put in “in the name of their country”. Just because it is coming from a man who makes millions of dollars in a popular sport doesn’t make what he’s saying any less relevant.

  • EJ

    Why’s everybody agreeing now? When I said something like this, everybody was up in arms, except for Teddy.

  • ClydeTheGlide

    Paid… no chance. Maybe compensated if they’re injured… yes. But the opportunity to play for your country should be reward enough, no need to ask for commissions of jersey sales.

  • Leoni

    Simple: Allen = Mercenary.

  • Brickshooting J

    @JB: As far as I know, military personnel are paid like professional military personnel.

  • hushabomb

    @DaMeatHook. The thing is you need to look at is the fact that the USA wonems team volunteer their time for the Olympics when they are playin the WNBA now. And i’m sure they down time for their families yet they volunteer to play every single time. I’d like to see the players get paid both men and women. And they deserve some money as well. We all know that a LeBron jersey will sell out. So some of that profit should also benefit the womens team as well. Just my 2 cents

  • LA Huey

    MeatHook, the Men’s team already kind of gives money to the Women’s squad. You ever heard of a thing called the WNBA and how the NBA has been subsidizing their league for awhile?

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    Huey, you’re just supporting my argument. Why should the money that the Men’s team go to support the women’s team? The NBA already does a lot for women’s basketball. So to answer your stupid question, yes, I have heard of the WNBA and how it has been subsidized. Yes, I do think “2-ball” was a pathetic way to showcase WNBA talent. Carry on.

  • deadbored

    HAHAHAHA!! @people who think war is noble. america at war = bullying. War is for money. It has always been for money.

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