This is incorrect on multiple levels. Elite athletes would generate an audience, an audience that will be willing to pay for the privilege of watching them play. That audience would prefer to watch them in comfort, and would pay even more for that comfort.
Municipalities would see the benefit of regular crowds pumping dollars into their economy, and either build facilities or enter into a partnership with investors to build those facilities.
So on and so forth.
While elite players cannot expect to earn multi-million salaries without the efforts and capital of wealthy individuals, the ATHLETES are the critical ingredient - without them there would be no stadiums, no professional leagues, no multi-billion dollar distribution deals, no merch, no profit.
