There is nothing to stop rich people from giving free money by the bucket load to a player in their city ... nor to keep them from hiring a player to endorse their company for lots of money. If that's how you want to spend your money, of course. And perhaps there can be value in an endorsement.
I know some people can be obsessed with such players playing on a team they like, beyond getting value back for what money they would give. To me, while I enjoy watching them play and cheering for the good guys, the lathering of more money gratuitously on an athlete already making gazillions to play a game would be a stupid way to spend your money. Let the Ballmers and Adelsons of the world pay their help themselves, they can afford it. But to each his own, I guess.
I know some people can be obsessed with such players playing on a team they like, beyond getting value back for what money they would give. To me, while I enjoy watching them play and cheering for the good guys, the lathering of more money gratuitously on an athlete already making gazillions to play a game would be a stupid way to spend your money. Let the Ballmers and Adelsons of the world pay their help themselves, they can afford it. But to each his own, I guess.