Translude15
Frank the Tank
I don't know about that. Athletes get generous pension plans too. It's not like the money stops when they retire.
Pensions are based on years of service (generally a minimum of 10 years of playing time for maximum pension earnings) and age restrictions. Some league pensions kick in as late as age 62.
The majority of athletes in all sports make closer to the lower half of the pay scale compared to what the top earners pull in. Not to mention the average service time for most athletes across all sports typically lasts far less than 10 years. You're in the minority if you manage to stay in a given league for 10 years.
Yes, many, many athletes live good lives but for a lot of guys earning the league minimum, playing on the fringes of a professional roster and/or toiling away in the minors, your earnings simply won't amount to much when you're pulling in 30-35% of your gross paycheque.