Quote:
Originally Posted by stevej37
I wonder if maybe there is some payment from the players to the owners for the exposure?
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Nope, but the players do it for rent and ego.
I stayed at a cheap roadside hotel in Eastern Washington and met a few players. They lived in the hotel and had a meal allowance. A couple of them had pending DUI or drug charges that were keeping their "talent" off a bigger field.
There was one player among them who might have a shot at the CFL, but by and large they all know they are not moving up. Nevertheless, they all felt good about being able to play and have free rent and a meal allowance. They consider themselves professional football players and by most definitions they certainly would be. They are getting compensated to play.
For a lot of these guys it's a better option than just washing out and taking a minimum wage job. Plenty of guys gut it out in the low level minors with no real possibility of seeing MLB dirt. It probably feels good to play at least.