A couple of points missed in the biased generalizations:
First: professional team sports individual contracts may total a large $ amount, but each contract has many achievement bonuses such that the base and the total are no where near the same amount. Pitchers can miss 10's of thousands of dollars with a difference between a strike out and a walk at the end of the season.
Second: individual sports are about the closest to a meritocracy. You eat what you kill. Not enough talent, not enough desire, not enough adaptability, you die, very simple.
Third: do the organizations supporting the athletes, who are the product, giving back to the community? Are the athlete themselves setting up foundations to help important causes? Are the athletes being required to go into the community and meet/give encouragement to children who need support hi hospitals. .
What you don't see, again because no one who isn't an insider can see / read / know everything, that many team members are required to go to hospitals, communities, and give support and encouragement to children and others, which can make a life long difference to many children. Most have something written into their contracts requiring public appearances, etc.
Steelers star T.J. Watt 'whooped' in pickleball by Minkah Fitzpatrick, local Pittsburgh woman - CBSSports.com
its called entertainment, helping you forget your struggles or remember your struggles as we all are humans. . giving hope to your struggles, and just lifting spirits, if even for a day to remember like mink fitzpatrick
so enough with the sour grapes about your lot in life by comparing someone's else's public persona with your private one. Enjoy what you have, forget about what you didn't get get due to random gene matching of your parents, and didn't spend an entire life dedicated to one activity, enjoy what gives you happiness, there is not as much time left.
Besides, no one like a bitter old person about what could have been. . .