ABSTRACT
Introduction If there once was a time when professional athletes could play their chosen sport, collect a pay cheque at the end of the day and retire happily to the family home without the intrusions of the rest of the world dominating both their public and private lives, then it is a distant memory. Professional athletes are now part of a celebrity culture, public property like the stars of the film and music industries. This stardom has been driven by the media and the increasing desire of audiences to know more about the personal side of sport. Professional athletes are now considered entertainers as much as they are sportsmen and women. In many sports million dollar salaries are testimony to the appeal of sport stars, their ability to attract audiences and their capacity to sell products and services. These salaries are not directly proportional to the quality of their play, but to their worth as national and global commodities.
