Even Isocrates in the 5th century BCE noticed the backwardness of professional athletes making more money and receiving more fame than persons like firefighters, teachers, etc. Check out the opening lines of his work Panegyricus (which is a piece of oratory focused in large part, on praise & blame):
"[1] I have often marveled that those who established panegyric festivals and set up athletic contests considered athletic success worthy of such great prizes but established no such prize for those who work hard as private citizens for the public good and prepare their own lives so that they can benefit others. [2] They should have given more thought to the latter, for even if the athletes acquired twice their current strength, there would be no greater benefit for the people, while if one person has good ideas, all who wish to share in those ideas would benefit."
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