Getty ImagesBefore anyone criticizes Panthers quarterback Cam Newton for setting up a table and charging more than $100 to sign his name to photos, jerseys, and/or footballs, it’s important to remember that any athlete who can get paid to give his autograph does.
And they should.
It’s America. It’s a capitalistic society. Our goods and services are worth whatever someone will pay for them, and we have every right to charge whatever the market will bear.
If people don’t want to pay Newton to sign stuff, they don’t have to. And while there are certain contexts in which charging for autographs is unseemly (such as when walking off the practice field), the essence of a free market is freedom.
Freedom to spend. Freedom to charge. Freedom to not charge. Freedom to do whatever you want to do within the confines of the law.
Did anyone criticize Tim Tebow for charging for autographs? No one should be criticized for selling something that others regard as valuable, again within the confines of the law.
The one caveat? If you’re going to sell your autographs, you’d better give Uncle Sam his cut. If you think you’re immune from that, we suggest entering the following terms into a Google search: Pete Rose tax evasion autograph.
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I’m ok with charging an adult to pay the fee, considering some get it just to sell it. I’m personally not going to pay 100 bucks for some person’s signature, but if a kid gets it I think they should do it for free. That’s just me, but the athlete does have the right to maximize profits in any way he/she can.
Really man this man is making millions of dollars yet he charges and yes he has every right to but thy doesn’t mean he should and you defended him man c’mon. Then saying just dont buy it then is what every defense says about something thats wrong like go play a video game people cheat and say the same thing oh well it’s in the game well ya what thy doesn’t mean you should do it and ruin the game same thing here he shouldn’t do it
Multi-millionaire athletes are free to charge people money for their signature. And the rest of us are free to think they are greedy for doing so.
Sounds like some Republican propaganda about a free society requiring capitalism (which is corporate slavery and therefor not free.)
Other than that though, I agree it’s not a big deal.
I still have a little bit of a problem with these athletes who get paid millions of dollars to do one of their favorite things in the world not being able to take a little time out of their day to sign their name on something that would make somebody extremely happy. I would sign autographs for a few says straight if it ment i could live like cam
No one criticized Tebow??! I did and so did everyone I talked to about it. I’m not a Gators fan, and really didn’t follow them, so I didn’t know much about Tebow prior to him entering the NFL, but charging for autographs leaves a very sower taste in my mouth.
Cam your already making Millions from your fans do you really need a couple more of their hard earned dollars to pad your pockets?
A lot of the people getting the autographs are going to turn around and try to make a profit by selling the stuff on the internet. Let’s criticize them too. But it is a shame that kids whose day would be made by getting and keeping the autograph(s) may not be able to get it/them. The world we live in, unfortunately.
Tebow looked down at his WWJD bracelet and god told him to charge money to kids for just his signature.
First it’s getting paid for signatures, now it’s NBA players wanting to get paid for playing in the Olympics. Not everything should be about money, especially to those whom have more than enough.
Cool if that’s how it is…then they can give us back the millions WE put in there pockets brother via supporting them buying there products/going to games etc!
MDS basically wrote this same post at 8:30 this morning. I don’t understand the need to do it again.
I’m pretty sure a portion of Tebow’s autograph fee went to his charity…..pretty sure
They absolutely can charge whatever they want. It’s their right. Just like its the owners right to charge whatever they want at stadiums. It’s a fans right not to buy either. Either criticize both sides or don’t, atleast be consistent
They should sign full name for a paid and initials for free.
It’s not about the signature for a real fan, it’s about the interaction with the athlete so as long as the fan isn’t looking to profit then they won’t care.
The athlete can maintain the value of their per-signature by signing their full name for a price. If that could become industry standard then it would make everyone happy.
This coming from the guy who chastized Aaron Rodgers for not stopping for to autograph something for a cancer patient. If he used an excuse that she didn’t pay for it, I guess you could chalk that up to his capitalistic virtues huh? Or maybe you’ll suggest that cancer patients should get autographs for free, in which case we’d like for you to draw the line for people who deserve free autographs and those who don’t. I mean you can’t be giving stuff away for free when you can make money off of it, right? Some things in life are special. For a kid, meeting your hero is one of them… until he charges you for it. Give me a freaking break Florio.
I’m ok with charging memorabilia collectors, but not kids. That’s not only wrong, but its disgusting and represents the abundance of greed and lack of generosity in this world.
I agree, it’s completely fine that he charged. I just didn’t agree with MDS’ assessment that he was only trying to share in the profits of people who’d flip his autograph for cash. If he was truly doing that, he wouldn’t add a $50 fee for personalizing it.
Overall, however, Cam has the right to charge. If people value his autograph at $125 (or whatever he’s charging), then he has a right to receive $125 for it.
It would be ok in a charity event that athletes are asking for money for autograph and the collection goes to charity…
100$ is a good money for middle class ppl… come on man!
Signing an autograph takes what, 10 seconds max? Do that for one hour and they are making $36,000. In ONE hour. Further, pro athletes paid millions per year in addition to that money.
Is it legal?
Of course.
Is it pretty messed up to do, especially to a 7 year old kid or a father of three making $50,000 a year?
I certainly think so.
For adults? Don’t care. But it does get out of hand. Last year, Joe Montana was coming to a large mall near me. I had a Montana picture in a plaque-like display frame that I got around 1990. I wanted to go see him and have it signed. Then I found out tickets were $160, and I’m fairly sure you couldn’t even bring your own stuff to have signed. Thee may have also been fee beyond the ticket. This is what I mean by “out of hand.”
The problem is now a days in America, that kids are getting auto’s from players, then selling them on ebay for profit also. Its not just adults that are greedy anymore
I think it’s classless. They are free to charge but, I think it’s classless.
“Thanks for buying my jersey but, too bad you couldn’t afford the additional $100 for me to sign it. Now go back to your $15 an hour job and get me my Benjamin. Then I’ll sign it. Don’t forget to buy tickets to the games too because you don’t know if it will sell out or not. If it doesn’t, you won’t be watching it on TV!”
Hmmm…and to think I got Johnny U’s autograph for free and he was even gracious enough to throw me a pass before he signed the football…..SMH!
Personalize the autograph for kids – “To Bill, Good Luck, Cam.” Those kinds of autographs arent worth squat. In fact look on ebay – most autographs without PSA documentation arent really worth that much. So its not like these fans are going to sell these on ebay for very much.
What has this kid done to make him worth a dime
Was he in the Super Bowl did he win it
Was he in the playoffs?
No his team was 3rd in the NFC South.
Two teams from the South did make the playoffs and both were one and done.
This kid has been blessed with talent and being at the right place at the right time.
NC has one of the worst rates of folks out of work so if this money is not going to a food bank or other such group he should be run out of town on a rail.
What a joke this is if he keeps finishing third he will not even be playing in a few years
The fans in the stands are who pay for the NFL stars’ salaries. If they shell out over $100 bucks to watch a game, then out of gratitude a player should be able to stop for a moment to sign some autographs. To me, it makes them look cheap to expect some additional money for that.
At this point in time he is rich but his contract is not that big at all.
If he would sign for free, and often, it wouldnt be worth much on ebay. Yes, this is america, but have you looked outside your window lately? Do you really think this world is heading in the right direction?
Heres to my freedom in being able to label cam newton as a greedy, classless, sad human being.