It is worth it to invest in athletes because of the effect of sports on their lives and the lives of the community at large, not solely so they win anything anywhere.
Exercise makes people happier because it produces endorphins, which are also produced when one is excited and during an orgasm. Thus if we as a nation support exercising and athletes maybe we would eventually become happier.
Maybe this is far fetched, but i do think that supporting athletes is important for its benefit to their well-being and that of the community. Although i do have a major concern with how much athletes are paid to do their jobs, there should be a limit 45 million dollars is an absurd salary. No one no matter what they do should ever be paid more than a nation’s GDP, but that is a different story all together.