'HOW THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED'

In 1983 Argentinian great Guillermo Vilas received a $10,000 appearance fee to play in what was back then a 'Grand Prix' Event in Rotterdam. 
That was a 'no no' back then even though it was common place to accept appearance money to play a tennis tournament. The players knew the rules but hey,if someone rings you up and says 'Guillermo, we would like you to play our tennis tournament, how would you like a guaranteed 10 g in the pocket before you even start' ?
Most players would say yes but it's all about how you receive the funds from that moment on. Bank transactions quite possibly aren't the most intelligent way of receiving payment. Maybe if Guillermo had his time again he would have said 'OK, crisp notes in a plastic bag thanks guys'.
Anyhow the rest is history, Guillermo received a year ban for it. Tough lesson.
So to 2017, yes I know it's 2018 however in 2017 Roger Federer apparently received an appearance fee from the West Australian State Government to play at the Hopman Cup. Good on him, he deserves everything he gets the Fed, a brilliant ambassador for the sport in general and he puts bums on seats.
Quite possibly exactly the same as the Rotterdam Tournament Committee were trying to do way back in 1983 when looking at ways to fill seats.
The Hopman Cup of course is only an exhibition event, the old Rotterdam Event was a fair dinkum competition with ranking points so obviously the two can't be compared, or can they ?
Tennis has always been a sport where officials do their best to get people through the gates to watch the best possible talent available so the decision by Rotterdam to offer Vilas some dollars for simply turning up had merit, the payment structure though was not 'idiot proof'.
Now days there have been numerous stories of players being offered huge sums of money to play certain events and even some fantastic gestures by certain Aussie players who handed back the money when beaten early on in the tournament. 
That was a story floating around the Tour in the 90's and by all reports, 100 per cent correct. 
I suppose it's all down to the individual, 'Do I keep it or hand it back ? Do I deserve it ?'
So to the Fed Xpress, how much do you think the WA State Government paid him to play the Hopman Cup 2017/2018 ?
Probably a few more dollars than what Guillermo Vilas received 'illegally' in 1983 in Rotterdam.........