How do professional athletes work to improve the community?

Question

How do professional athletes work to improve the community?

Answer 1

I live in the KC metro area where we have a major league baseball team and an NFL football team.

A few of the guys start their own charities. You will see them in the paper working for Habitat for Humanity or one of those large non profits.

But try to get one of them to come speak to your little, poor non profit or do something to help you raise $$ and it is a resounding NO.

I guess I am a little jaded on this subject after 15 years.

Answer 2

Let's be honest here - often times, it's a tax shelter for them.  They donate money (or their time, which, on an hourly basis, is quite expensive) and then pay less taxes - and they look good in the community.

Other times, they really are folks who impact the community.  The real problem - then it's not just you, but 50,000 other groups all of who want them to speak, work, appear, etc. and, with all due respect - being an athlete takes a lot of time.  It takes a lot of work to get and stay in top physical condition, plus they have to practice and play.  You want them swinging a hammer at the hand that catches a baseball 81 days out of the year?  Bad idea.

Is visiting kids at a hospital "improving the community?"  You can bet that those kids think so, after they get to spend 2 minutes of their lives with Derek Jeter or Tom Brady or LeBron James.  

Most professional sports leagues are affilitated with major organizations (like the United Way) who coordinate their activities.  So, usually the "improving" comes from either:

1) monetary donations

2) lending their presence to high-profile, high-impact activities