Reggie Austin

While I understand the point being made, I don’t love the holier-than-thou attitude toward people’s financial situations in sports. I spent years grinding after college (and still am) working for free, working for pennies, and doing whatever it took to stay in the profession. If we’re being honest, one of the main reasons I made it through was the financial support available during COVID. Without it, I would’ve been in a MUCH tougher spot. I’m still dealing with the financial consequences of chasing this career path. Was it worth it? Yes. Was it enjoyable? Not exactly. Most people who get into sports understand they probably won’t be making six figures right away. But acknowledging that reality doesn’t mean people shouldn’t be fairly compensated for the work they do. When you’re consistently putting in long days/weeks/months, it’s reasonable to believe your time and effort have value. There are a lot of talented people in this profession navigating financial challenges without much support. We can recognize the sacrifices required to work in sports while also recognizing that better compensation is a fair conversation to have. I think this is a fine line we walk and that we should be mindful of commenting on someone else’s financial reality and honestly, this is going to be even more of a conversation moving forward as things such as groceries, gas, and rent continue to climb.