Hmm yeah. Your concerns about corruption of players is well placed. But small beer in the context of corruption of the sport itself and it's erstwhile fans. The devil is the owners - current and future. Ohtani has a 10 year contract with the LA Dodgers for US$700M, of which he currently receives $2M a year. The other $680M is scheduled to be paid in the 10 years AFTER he's finished playing (when he's 39-49yo). Presumably there's an actuary/hitman somewhere contracted to calculate his minimal chance of collecting (much like his bookie). Gamblers are all familiar with "short term cash flow difficulties" which doubtless contributed to his interpreter/runner/bagman Mizuhara losing $4.5M on "sure things".
So the owners/sponsors/media set up the scam and then the rubes fall in line. The Unofficial Partner sports business newsletter reported that viewership of Women's Cricket in the UK was booming with the Women's Hundred. The biggest growth sector among "fans" was young males, not enticed by fine legs or cover drives, but spot betting on their apps about no-balls and over scores.
Hmm yeah. Your concerns about corruption of players is well placed. But small beer in the context of corruption of the sport itself and it's erstwhile fans. The devil is the owners - current and future. Ohtani has a 10 year contract with the LA Dodgers for US$700M, of which he currently receives $2M a year. The other $680M is scheduled to be paid in the 10 years AFTER he's finished playing (when he's 39-49yo). Presumably there's an actuary/hitman somewhere contracted to calculate his minimal chance of collecting (much like his bookie). Gamblers are all familiar with "short term cash flow difficulties" which doubtless contributed to his interpreter/runner/bagman Mizuhara losing $4.5M on "sure things".
So the owners/sponsors/media set up the scam and then the rubes fall in line. The Unofficial Partner sports business newsletter reported that viewership of Women's Cricket in the UK was booming with the Women's Hundred. The biggest growth sector among "fans" was young males, not enticed by fine legs or cover drives, but spot betting on their apps about no-balls and over scores.
Sport - like society - is eating itself. For now.