Perhaps the NBA’s Highest Paid Spectator
Posted: November 4th, 2008 | Author: Catherine | Filed under: Athletics | Tags: basketball, nba, New York Knicks, pay, Stephon Marbury |Stephon Marbury continues to be surrounded by controversy. In his time with the New York Knicks, he has been involved in controversy and scandal. Now, the Stephon Marbury saga takes another bizarre turn. As a healthy professional basketball player, he will be paid millions just to watch:
“The New York Knicks have no plans to do anything with Stephon Marbury, except pay him his $21.9 million salary and give him a great seat to watch all their games.
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni and team president Donnie Walsh said that they will not waive, buy out or trade Marbury…”
link: Knicks to pay Marbury $21.9 million to ride bench
For the average basketball fan who buys the tickets and supports the team, this may be a bit strange. Perhaps to the New York Knicks, paying someone almost twenty two million dollars not to play is a shrewd business decision. It is just that most fans will be trying to understand the rationale.
Catherine Forsythe
[...] can advance that far. That the talk turns to basketball instead of lawsuits, firing the coach, dealing with Stephon Marbury and a host of off-court issues may be a welcome change for the Knicks management. The Knicks are [...]