Commentary

200 best-paying teams in the world

If you're athletically gifted, this is who will show you the money

Updated: April 20, 2011, 7:51 PM ET
By ESPN The Magazine/SportingIntelligence Global Salary Survey, compiled by Nick Harris

This story appears in the May 2, 2011, issue of ESPN The Magazine.

To find out which athletic organizations shell out the most dough, we surveyed 272 teams in 14 major pro leagues, covering seven sports, spanning 10 countries, comprising 7,802 athletes making a combined $15.2 billion in salary. Our final numbers, below, were compiled by Nick Harris, editor of sportingintelligence.com. "Average Annual Salary" represents base player salaries from current or most recently completed seasons from each sport, and excludes endorsements, bonuses, appearance fees and any other source of extra compensation. All figures converted to U.S. dollars. All IPL annual figures pro rata from weekly pay.

The sports and leagues: Aussie rules football (AFL), baseball (MLB, NPB), basketball (NBA), cricket (IPL), football (CFL, NFL), soccer (Bundesliga, EPL, La Liga, MLS, Serie A, SPL).
The countries: Australia, Canada, England, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Scotland, Spain, USA.

Rank Team League Average Annual Salary Per Player Average Weekly Salary Per Player
1 Barcelona La Liga $7,910,737 $152,130
2 Real Madrid La Liga $7,356,632 $141,474
3 New York Yankees MLB $6,756,301 $129,929
4 Los Angeles Lakers NBA $6,540,690 $125,782
5 Orlando Magic NBA $6,367,114 $122,445
6 Chelsea EPL $6,020,741 $115,783
7 Inter Milan Serie A $5,999,643 $115,378
8 Boston Red Sox MLB $5,991,203 $115,215
9 Denver Nuggets NBA $5,990,174 $115,196
10 Manchester City EPL $5,863,585 $112,761
11 Utah Jazz NBA $5,829,643 $112,109
12 Bayern Munich Bundesliga $5,780,358 $111,161
13 Philadelphia Phillies MLB $5,765,879 $110,882
14 AC Milan Serie A $5,647,633 $108,608
15 Boston Celtics NBA $5,236,922 $100,710
16 Manchester United EPL $5,106,214 $98,196
17 Chicago Cubs MLB $5,001,893 $96,190
18 Houston Rockets NBA $4,972,115 $95,618
19 Philadelphia 76ers NBA $4,954,303 $95,275
20 Liverpool EPL $4,935,847 $94,920
21 Dallas Mavericks NBA $4,882,757 $93,899
22 Arsenal EPL $4,758,252 $91,505
23 Chicago White Sox MLB $4,732,926 $91,018
24 Atlanta Hawks NBA $4,665,981 $89,730
25 Minnesota Twins MLB $4,509,480 $86,721
26 Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL $4,506,667 $86,667
27 Memphis Grizzlies NBA $4,477,489 $86,106
28 Los Angeles Angels MLB $4,469,134 $85,945
29 Kolkata Knight Riders IPL $4,448,333 $85,545
30 New York Mets MLB $4,401,752 $84,649
31 Detroit Pistons NBA $4,394,521 $84,510
32 Charlotte Bobcats NBA $4,392,059 $84,463
33 San Francisco Giants MLB $4,377,716 $84,187
34 Golden State Warriors NBA $4,371,404 $84,065
35 Milwaukee Bucks NBA $4,346,469 $83,586
36 Portland Trail Blazers NBA $4,276,195 $82,235
37 New Orleans Hornets NBA $4,133,364 $79,488
38 Juventus Serie A $4,127,666 $79,378
39 Phoenix Suns NBA $4,088,782 $78,630
40 Kings Xi Punjab IPL $4,065,833 $78,189
41 Indiana Pacers NBA $4,023,026 $77,366
42 Chicago Bulls NBA $4,016,979 $77,250
43 San Antonio Spurs NBA $4,000,272 $76,928
44 Mumbai Indians IPL $3,997,500 $76,875
45 Deccan Chargers IPL $3,993,333 $76,795
46 Toronto Raptors NBA $3,915,801 $75,304
47 Detroit Tigers MLB $3,914,823 $75,285
48 St. Louis Cardinals MLB $3,904,947 $75,095
49 New York Knicks NBA $3,873,496 $74,490
50 Oklahoma City Thunder NBA $3,863,639 $74,301
51 Aston Villa EPL $3,848,229 $74,004
52 Los Angeles Clippers NBA $3,762,057 $72,347
53 New Jersey Nets NBA $3,658,744 $70,360
54 Chennai Super Kings IPL $3,583,333 $68,910
55 Washington Wizards NBA $3,533,342 $67,949
56 Schalke 04 Bundesliga $3,525,614 $67,800
57 Los Angeles Dodgers MLB $3,472,967 $66,788
58 Miami Heat NBA $3,439,822 $66,150
59 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA $3,438,187 $66,119
60 Delhi Daredevils IPL $3,392,500 $65,240
61 Colorado Rockies MLB $3,390,310 $65,198
62 AS Roma Serie A $3,383,783 $65,073
63 Newcastle United EPL $3,370,667 $64,821
64 Atlanta Braves MLB $3,346,257 $64,351
65 Baltimore Orioles MLB $3,280,925 $63,095
66 Texas Rangers MLB $3,182,733 $61,206
67 Detroit Red Wings NHL $2,957,955 $56,884
68 Valencia La Liga $2,927,719 $56,302
69 Sacramento Kings NBA $2,919,893 $56,152
70 Washington Redskins NFL $2,913,048 $56,020
71 Seattle Mariners MLB $2,884,153 $55,464
72 Portsmouth EPL $2,875,947 $55,307
73 Milwaukee Brewers MLB $2,849,911 $54,806
74 New Orleans Saints NFL $2,845,831 $54,728
75 Minnesota Vikings NFL $2,826,007 $54,346
76 Werder Bremen Bundesliga $2,807,018 $53,981
77 Boston Bruins NHL $2,742,614 $52,743
78 Chicago Blackhawks NHL $2,725,130 $52,406
79 Chicago Bears NFL $2,719,637 $52,301
80 Seattle Seahawks NFL $2,697,114 $51,868
81 Philadelphia Flyers NHL $2,683,696 $51,610
82 Dallas Cowboys NFL $2,679,093 $51,521
83 San Jose Sharks NHL $2,673,712 $51,418
84 Stuttgart Bundesliga $2,666,667 $51,282
85 Oakland Raiders NFL $2,653,532 $51,029
86 Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga $2,649,825 $50,958
87 Minnesota Timberwolves NBA $2,641,170 $50,792
88 Vancouver Canucks NHL $2,639,423 $50,758
89 Ottawa Senators NHL $2,627,971 $50,538
90 Green Bay Packers NFL $2,592,050 $49,847
91 Atletico Madrid La Liga $2,589,754 $49,803
92 Cincinnati Reds MLB $2,531,571 $48,684
93 Montreal Canadiens NHL $2,520,660 $48,474
94 West Ham United EPL $2,517,851 $48,420
95 New Jersey Devils NHL $2,481,458 $47,720
96 Calgary Flames NHL $2,480,500 $47,702
97 Detroit Lions NFL $2,476,803 $47,631
98 New York Rangers NHL $2,450,313 $47,121
99 San Francisco 49ers NFL $2,446,040 $47,039
100 Washington Capitals NHL $2,445,870 $47,036
101 Pittsburgh Pengiuns NHL $2,445,200 $47,023
102 Baltimore Ravens NFL $2,441,205 $46,946
103 Houston Astros MLB $2,437,724 $46,879
104 Sevilla La Liga $2,428,632 $46,704
105 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL $2,392,123 $46,002
106 Hamburg Bundesliga $2,385,965 $45,884
107 Oakland Athletics MLB $2,376,304 $45,698
108 Houston Texans NFL $2,374,167 $45,657
109 Buffalo Sabres NHL $2,372,609 $45,627
110 Tottenham Hotspur EPL $2,364,778 $45,476
111 Cleveland Browns NFL $2,358,022 $45,347
112 Atlanta Falcons NFL $2,348,103 $45,156
113 Miami Dolphins NFL $2,344,360 $45,084
114 Indianapolis Colts NFL $2,331,690 $44,840
115 Philadelphia Eagles NFL $2,329,425 $44,797
116 Minnesota Wild NHL $2,318,200 $44,581
117 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL $2,296,196 $44,158
118 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL $2,270,720 $43,668
119 Carolina Panthers NFL $2,266,241 $43,582
120 Everton EPL $2,224,538 $42,780
121 New York Jets NFL $2,222,199 $42,735
122 Washington Nationals MLB $2,201,963 $42,345
123 Florida Marlins MLB $2,190,154 $42,118
124 New York Giants NFL $2,183,656 $41,993
125 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL $2,171,705 $41,764
126 Rajasthan Royals IPL $2,152,667 $41,397
127 Dallas Stars NHL $2,148,182 $41,311
128 St. Louis Rams NFL $2,134,594 $41,050
129 Carolina Hurricanes NHL $2,132,619 $41,012
130 Sunderland EPL $2,091,947 $40,230
131 Tennessee Titans NFL $2,090,795 $40,208
132 Blackburn Rovers EPL $2,086,298 $40,121
133 San Diego Chargers NFL $2,072,434 $39,854
134 Fiorentina Serie A $2,071,877 $39,844
135 LA Kings NHL $2,060,398 $39,623
136 Fulham EPL $2,036,977 $39,173
137 Phoenix Coyotes NHL $2,035,795 $39,150
138 Anaheim Ducks NHL $2,029,615 $39,031
139 Toronto Blue Jays MLB $2,018,316 $38,814
140 New England Patriots NFL $2,018,226 $38,812
141 Buffalo Bills NFL $1,997,436 $38,412
142 Arizona Diamondbacks MLB $1,986,660 $38,205
143 Nashville Predators NHL $1,977,000 $38,019
144 Cincinnati Bengals NFL $1,965,847 $37,805
145 Wolfsburg Bundesliga $1,964,912 $37,787
146 Florida Panthers NHL $1,964,688 $37,782
147 Genoa Serie A $1,959,883 $37,690
148 Arizona Cardinals NFL $1,939,677 $37,301
149 Kansas City Chiefs NFL $1,922,237 $36,966
150 Edmonton Oilers NHL $1,897,778 $36,496
151 Bolton Wanderers EPL $1,863,573 $35,838
152 Wigan Athletic EPL $1,857,161 $35,715
153 Hertha Berlin Bundesliga $1,796,491 $34,548
154 FC Cologne Bundesliga $1,796,098 $34,540
155 Jacksonville Jaguars NFL $1,780,600 $34,242
156 St. Louis Blues NHL $1,736,923 $33,402
157 Denver Broncos NFL $1,641,265 $31,563
158 Cleveland Indians MLB $1,639,686 $31,532
159 Borussia Monchengladbach Bundesliga $1,628,070 $31,309
160 Napoli Serie A $1,623,903 $31,229
161 Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL $1,623,709 $31,225
162 Villarreal La Liga $1,619,088 $31,136
163 Celtic SPL $1,607,449 $30,912
164 Tampa Bay Rays MLB $1,578,984 $30,365
165 Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga $1,571,930 $30,229
166 Palermo Serie A $1,567,907 $30,152
167 Colorado Avalanche NHL $1,553,661 $29,878
168 Pittsburgh Pirates MLB $1,553,345 $29,872
169 Atlanta Thrashers NHL $1,513,750 $29,111
170 Lazio Serie A $1,511,910 $29,075
171 Athletic Bilbao La Liga $1,493,333 $28,718
172 San Diego Padres MLB $1,479,650 $28,455
173 Hoffenheim Bundesliga $1,459,649 $28,070
174 Hull City EPL $1,403,299 $26,987
175 Torino Serie A $1,399,917 $26,921
176 Middlesbrough England (D2) $1,376,640 $26,474
177 Hannover 96 Bundesliga $1,372,632 $26,397
178 Stoke City EPL $1,367,627 $26,301
179 Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga $1,362,526 $26,202
180 Kansas City Royals MLB $1,338,000 $25,731
181 Rangers SPL $1,271,905 $24,460
182 Real Betis La Liga $1,265,404 $24,335
183 Hanshin Tigers NPB $1,260,632 $24,243
184 Cagliari Serie A $1,231,927 $23,691
185 West Bromwich Albion EPL $1,209,335 $23,256
186 Yomiuri Giants NPB $1,204,090 $23,156
187 Espanyol La Liga $1,198,596 $23,050
188 Sampdoria Serie A $1,175,930 $22,614
189 New York Islanders NHL $1,165,954 $22,422
190 Catania Serie A $1,119,933 $21,537
191 Bologna Serie A $1,063,937 $20,460
192 Mallorca La Liga $1,045,333 $20,103
193 Karlsruher FC Germany (D2) $1,042,627 $20,051
194 Siena Serie A $1,035,938 $19,922
195 Lecce Serie A $1,007,940 $19,383
196 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks NPB $989,354 $19,026
197 Osasuna La Liga $986,386 $18,969
198 Chunichi Dragons NPB $965,774 $18,573
199 Racing Santander La Liga $954,947 $18,364
200 Deportivo La Coruna La Liga $915,649 $17,609

For the complete list, go to sportingintelligence.com.

SPONSORED HEADLINES

ESPN Conversations

comments

EDITORS' PICKS

  • Like Few Others
    Brian Urlacher announced via Twitter that he is retiring from the NFL.
  • Improving The Goal
    Corey Crawford says he has to be better in Game 4.
  • Steel City Shutout
    Jeff Samardzija pitched well: The scoreline read one run in the first, followed by 15 zeroes. Alas, it was the Cubs who were blanked.
  • Valiant Effort
    Hector Santiago stepped in to pitch, but the Sox let things slip away late.
  • Leaders Of Men
    Across all eras

Facebook » Twitter »

ESPN TOP HEADLINES