# Where does the money from sports fines go? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2000, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-money-from-sports-fines-go/38911 "2000-10-30T12:03:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-money-from-sports-fines-go/38911/1 "2000-10-30T12:03:42Z")
The recent fine of $50,000 slapped on Roger Clemens made me wonder: what happens to that money? Who gets it, and what is done with it? How is it paid? Does the player write a check, or is it taken from his pay? ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-money-from-sports-fines-go/38911/2 "2000-10-30T12:59:34Z")
I would imagine that the fine either a: Goes towards team expenses in some way, or b: If given to a charity that the club supports. I would imagine that the fine is deducted from the player’s pay. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-money-from-sports-fines-go/38911/3 "2000-10-30T15:22:27Z")
Fines go to the offices of the controlling bodies that levied the fines. As such, fines collected by the team for a team offense, such as Terrell Owens of the 49ers being fined by the team for his antics against the Cowboys, goes into the coffers of the team. When a league office, as in the Clements case, fines the player, they get the fine. These entities can use the money like any other income, but sometimes they will make a point to put the fines to a charity specific to the fine. * * * Yer pal, [Satan](http://www.members.tripod.com/jmspoofe/sdmb/satan.jpg) \*I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: Six months, three weeks, 13 hours, 27 minutes and 50 seconds. 8182 cigarettes not smoked, saving $1,022.80. Extra life with Drain Bead: 4 weeks, 9 hours, 50 minutes. **THE YANKEES WIN! THAAAAAAH YANKEES WIN! 1996 · 1998 ··· WORLD CHAMPIONS ··· 1999 · 2000 26 Titles! The #1 Dynasty of all-time! And most importantly… RULERS OF NYC!!**\* ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2000, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-money-from-sports-fines-go/38911/4 "2000-10-30T17:57:24Z")
I believe that all the major team sports donate player fines to a charitable institution. It’s probably a subject that comes up in labor negotiations. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2000, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-the-money-from-sports-fines-go/38911/5 "2000-10-31T04:17:45Z")
My very probably mistaken recollection is that these fines go towards the retired players’ pension funds. At least, this is my recollection with respect to Major League Baseball.