Should Little League Kids Be Paid?

[TimDris]

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=dw-littleleague082207&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

It really makes you feel good about things when Little League Baseball Inc. (and its $70 million in assets) teams up with ESPN/ABC (Disney) to milk a cash cow courtesy of unpaid preteens from Mexico to Minnesota.

Each young player should receive $1,000 per TV game even if it, at first glance, seems to run against everything this slice of Americana is supposed to be about.

Making money is not new for LLB, Inc. At the end of its fiscal year, Sept. 2006, it reported $70.4 million in cash reserves and assets on hand, according to documents.

If LLB paid each player $1,000 for every appearance on television, it would cost just $1.3 million for the entire series (15 players per team in 45 TV games). That's less than 40 percent of the profits, leaving plenty for the organization.....

....If you're so worried about corrupting kids with money, then for the Americans put it in a college fund or a savings account that can't be released until they are 18. The foreign teams can do as they choose.

I think the college thing is a good idea. Put the money into their college fund so they are seeing some of the 70 million dollars they are making for Disney (sponser) and ESPN.

[BrownsTown]

Putting in to their college fund is a great idea.

[PackerLegend]

no, its going to start to teach kids allover more that it is about money because $1000 is alot to a kid and not about the love of the game, they will grow up to be little T.O's all over.

should 4th grade football or baseball or whatever around the world be paid? please it is a bad idea.

[princefielder28]

no way!!!!!!

[Splat]

No No No No!

[TimDris]

yeah but putting it into their college fund where they can't get at until they are going to college or turn 18 isn't a bad idea... they are making the big corporations the money why not see some of it

[BrownsTown]

yeah but putting it into their college fund where they can't get at until they are going to college or turn 18 isn't a bad idea... they are making the big corporations the money why not see some of it

Seriously, why not? Help these kids pay for an education.

[scottyboy]

no. there's enough debate with college kids getting paid. if these guys dont(they shouldnt either) than little leaguers shouldnt. these kids are out having fun. after that game winning robbed HR last week, those kids were ecstatic. Little league is fto have fun. You get paid for your job, like a PRO athlete, that's their job

[doingthisinsteadofwork]

people actually watch the little league world series?

[BuckNaked]

people actually watch the little league world series?

It's a favorite among the pedophile community.

[RaiderNation]

Yes, put in a college fund

[someone447]

Yes, they should put it in a college fund, if they don't go to college they don't see the money.

[nvot9]

Absolutely not, I think this is an awful idea. I think it just enforces how much everything revolves around money and that's a horrible thing. If anything, the College Fund is the best idea because that at least is helping provide education, but I think the tournaments are great how they are, the kids love to play ball, they 11, 12, 13 years old and having there games televised alone is a huge prize for them, it's a thrill for them, they play for the love of the game and to be known as the champions, I think that money would only taint that, money ruins professional sports, at least let the kids have fun...

[Man_Of_Steel]

Paying little leaguers would be the apocalypse of sport.

[someone447]

Absolutely not, I think this is an awful idea. I think it just enforces how much everything revolves around money and that's a horrible thing. If anything, the College Fund is the best idea because that at least is helping provide education, but I think the tournaments are great how they are, the kids love to play ball, they 11, 12, 13 years old and having there games televised alone is a huge prize for them, it's a thrill for them, they play for the love of the game and to be known as the champions, I think that money would only taint that, money ruins professional sports, at least let the kids have fun...

If it is put in a college fund, it still is for the love of the game(or parental pressure, but lets face it, that still happens) let them get something tangible and helpful out of this. If they get some money put away for college, it could save them thousands of dollars of debt later in life, there are many other things that kids that age get scholarships for, and those aren't televised.

For non-american kids, I think they should be able to get the money right away to do with what they please, because face it, a couple thousand dollars to a mexican/el salvadorian/singaporian family is sometimes a years salary.

Imagine you are a child with a family that no one has ever went to college, the odds you go are very small. Now imagine you got 3k put towards your college fund when you were 11-12 years old, suddenly, you are expected to go and much more likely to attend college. It is a win/win situation.

[comahan]

No thanks.

[KCJ58]

Not at all there 12 years old

[Boston]

Wow. Haha. I can't even describe how dumb this would be.

[nvot9]

If it is put in a college fund, it still is for the love of the game(or parental pressure, but lets face it, that still happens) let them get something tangible and helpful out of this. If they get some money put away for college, it could save them thousands of dollars of debt later in life, there are many other things that kids that age get scholarships for, and those aren't televised.

For non-american kids, I think they should be able to get the money right away to do with what they please, because face it, a couple thousand dollars to a mexican/el salvadorian/singaporian family is sometimes a years salary.

Imagine you are a child with a family that no one has ever went to college, the odds you go are very small. Now imagine you got 3k put towards your college fund when you were 11-12 years old, suddenly, you are expected to go and much more likely to attend college. It is a win/win situation.

That's what charities are for, I understand how financially unstable some 3rd world countries in this tournament are, but lets face it, its costs a lot of money to create the team, sign up for the team, and get to the tourny etc. I'm sure there are plenty of other kids who need the money 10 times more, who aren't even in the tournament. This might be an ignorant statement, but I feel that if you have the money to get into the tournament and pay for all the expenses etc., then 1000 dollars won't be a HUGE deal. I dnno though.

Regardless, the tournament is not set-up to help aid the impoverished countries in the world, it's to find out who has the best team, it's about having fun and experiencing new things, it's about testing your talent, not about trying to win money, and you know right now if it ever did become about money, the coaches would become so damn corrupt. I think that as little kids, they need to keep the game about fun and competition, leave the corruption and money for the big boy adults.

[Mr. Stiller]

I still think this is more outrage because LLB makes 70.3 Million a year and pays little if anything. It's the perfect Moneymaker.

With that said, I wouldn't care. If you're milking their aspirations for money you might as well give the kids a little something considering their the main reason you pocket 70+M.

[TimDris]

I still think this is more outrage because LLB makes 70.3 Million a year and pays little if anything. It's the perfect Moneymaker.

With that said, I wouldn't care. If you're milking their aspirations for money you might as well give the kids a little something considering their the main reason you pocket 70+M.

that's my point...

[Eaglez.Fan]

Definatley not. College sports should get money before them and they shouldn't either. They're 12 and 13 year old kids, they are not pro's.

[Bills2083]

If you put it in their college funds, it's a good idea.

[TimDris]

yeah but the colleges are making money... its not only the sponsers and network like it is with little league... with little league its only disney and espn...

and some of the money that the colleges are making is going to the athletes via scholarships...

[Eaglez.Fan]

Then you'll have parents taking that money out and spending it on who knows what. Less than half of the money would actually go to their college funds.

[TimDris]

Then you'll have parents taking that money out and spending it on who knows what. Less than half of the money would actually go to their college funds.

theres ways where only the kid can get it whens hes 18 or it has to go straight to college... i mean when i was first born a lot of my relatives put money into like bonds i think its called where i cant get it until im 18 or idk it goes to college... and my parents cant touch it

[Twiddler]

Never in a million years. There's probably enough pressure already on these kids who are contending for the ability to play in the Little League World Series that adding the fact that there is a grand for each televised game would not have good results. They're just kids.

[slightlyaraiderfan]

I've always thought it shouldn't be on tv in the first place...

[MichaelJordanEberle (sabf)]

Let's see, if kids get 1000 for every time theyre on TV, they are gonna do anything to get on TV. More than that, their parents will pressure them even more. You might even get preteen steroid use. I'm not joking either. This is a terrible idea. If they do anything to get money to the kids, it should be a college fund for former little leaguers who perform well academically.

[BuckNaked]

Let's see, if kids get 1000 for every time theyre on TV, they are gonna do anything to get on TV.

Which in response will lessen my odds of becoming a porn star.

[S4L]

When I saw this thread title, I immediately thought of the parental pressure. Can you imagine being a kid in the LLWS and losing the first game? The pressure on some (not all) kids from their parents to keep winning so that they can get on TV more would just be wrong.

In addition to that, the regionals would be huge pressure, since the difference in winning and losing a regional final could be a lot bigger. It should be about the game.

I don't understand why so many people think these kids playing in the LLWS on national TV is such exploitation. If you watch the games, all you see is the human emotion of winning and losing; what sports were meant to be.

[skinzzfan25]

Put it into a college fund like other have said, or a bond that they can't use untill their 18-21. I've heard a lot of stories from pitchers in little league having Tommy John surgery (sp?) or other serious surgery's. Putting that kind of stress and doing damage to a growing arm can cancel their baseball career. They should be rewarded somehow, but in a way where they get the money as adults.

[nvot9]

Seriously, what are the people who said yes or college fund thinking? Sure, a college fund makes it all seem cute and great, yay for education, but do you guys have ANY idea how society works, and any idea how people act for money? Human inclination will prevent this from ever occurring...I would hope at least. This is honestly an absolutely horrible idea...

[BuckNaked]

Seriously, what are the people who said yes or college fund thinking? Sure, a college fund makes it all seem cute and great, yay for education, but do you guys have ANY idea how society works, and any idea how people act for money? Human inclination will prevent this from ever occurring...I would hope at least. This is honestly an absolutely horrible idea...

Thanks for your insight Professor nvot.

[nvot9]

Thanks for your insight Professor nvot.

Your welcome, and to think...I get paid for this **** but those kids playing baseball don't...suckers.

[someone447]

Seriously, what are the people who said yes or college fund thinking? Sure, a college fund makes it all seem cute and great, yay for education, but do you guys have ANY idea how society works, and any idea how people act for money? Human inclination will prevent this from ever occurring...I would hope at least. This is honestly an absolutely horrible idea...

You do realize that kids that age earn scholarships for various other activities, don't you? What makes the LLWS any different? Obviously it will never happen, but it could work. Set up a scholarship fund that the kids who play on TV earn when they go to college, by taking it completely out of the parents hands, it guarantees the money is used as a scholarship.

[comahan]

I've always thought it shouldn't be on tv in the first place...


Remember this moment people. Remember it.

sarf and I agree on something.

[OSUGiants17]

No b/c then kids will just play to get paid and like PackerLegend said "there will be little T.O's everywere"

[Tampa 2 4 life]

A $20,000 college scholarship would be great to me.

[MichaelJordanEberle (sabf)]

You do realize that kids that age earn scholarships for various other activities, don't you? What makes the LLWS any different? Obviously it will never happen, but it could work. Set up a scholarship fund that the kids who play on TV earn when they go to college, by taking it completely out of the parents hands, it guarantees the money is used as a scholarship.

Because kids would be under WAY too much pressure to make it to the LLWS. The difference between making it and not making it could be the difference between going to college and not. I'm telling you, some without a doubt WOULD use steroids. It is an awful, completely flawed idea. The only way they could make giving money back to the kids work, is a college fund for former little leaguers who excel in the class room, or an annual scholarship award to x amount of little leaguers for excellent sportsmanship, talent, community involvement and academic success. Giving them money for making it is a horrible idea.

[yodapoop]

No, and they shouldn't be on TV either.

[ATLDirtyBirds]

They don't deserve ****.