Pro Athletes have melded with the Hollywood Elite crowd, with this undeserved sense of self-importance and "life can't go on without them" mindset.
I am all for letting all sports be pay per view. Let the market decide what it wants to watch. IMO, College Football and Basketball will thrive and the NBA will fail. The NBA might be able to sell a playoff package, but the regular season is mostly unwatchable. That comment was before and after Covid, riots, etc.