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The NBA is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. From a following and financial perspective, one of the four major leagues in the US has generated revenues that see everyone involved in any capacity with the league make a lot of money.
The players especially have high salaries. The average salary of a player is the most globally for any league. That number is at $10.4 million, as per WSN.
The Indian Premier League (cricket) is second at $5.3 million, the NFL is third at $4.5 million, with the English Premier League (soccer) and MLB rounding off the top five-highest paid salaries on average for players.
That number could go up significantly over the coming years. Jaylen Brown and Anthony Davis' new contracts, fetching them $60 million annually, starting next season in Brown's case and two years later in Davis' case, suggests that.
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Several other top stars will be in line to sign extensions or new contracts, increasing the average salary numbers. So why are NBA salaries high?
The NBA has several sources of income. That comes from merchandising, ticket sales, broadcast rights and various sponsorships. The NBPA and NBA's collective bargaining agreement saw the two parties agree on a 50% revenue percentage in player salaries. The league has made around $10 billion since 2022.
These are the key contributing factors to the high salaries we see players make in the US basketball league.
NBA averages higher salaries despite lower annual income compared to other leagues
Several major sports leagues have the same revenue-sharing percentage with the players, touching the 50% mark or a tad less. Other sports leagues have significant following, sponsorship deals and other sources of revenue and more annual income than the National Basketball Association. However, the basketball league still has a higher player salary average.
That's because of the percentage of players that make it to the league and earn a standard contract. The USA's top basketball league only has 450 players per year on standard deals, that is 15 roster spots per player. That is far less than other leagues that may also have more teams than the basketball league does.
Take the NFL, for example. The NFL earned $18 billion last season in profits and is the leader in the popularity index compared to basketball in the US. However, they have 32 teams, two more than the basketball league. Each franchise is allowed 55 players, with 48 active on game days.
That's where the difference between annual player salaries comes into the picture. Basketball has lesser players making it to the NBA, which ensures higher incomes for players, with a 50% revenue sharing agreement.
